Enantioselectivity of racemic metolachlor and S-metolachlor in maize seedlings

Chiral herbicides may have enantioselective effects on plants. In this study, we assessed and compared the enantioselectivity of the chiral herbicides rac-metolachlor and S-metolachlor to maize seedlings. The superoxide dismutase activity (SOD) activity of roots and stem leaves treated by rac-metolachlor was 1.38 and 1.99 times that of roots and stem leaves treated by S-metolachlor. The peroxidase activity (POD) activity of roots and stem leaves was 1.48 and 2.79 times that of roots and stem leaves treated by S-metolachlor, respectively, while the catalase activity (CAT) activity was 4.77 and 8.37 times greater, respectively. The Hill reaction activity of leaves treated by rac-metolachlor were 1.45, 1.33, and 1.14 times those treated by S-metolachlor with treatments of 18.6, 37.2, and 74.4 μM. The differences observed between treatments of rac- and S-metolachlor were significant. Significant differences in maize seedling morphology were also observed between rac- and S-metolachlor treatments. The degradation rate of S-metolachlor in roots was greater than that of rac-metolachlor. The half-lives of rac- and S-metolachlor were 80.6 and 60.3 h at 18.6 μM; 119.5 and 90 h at 37.2 μM; and 169 and 164.8 h at 74.4 μM, respectively. Using the liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method, hydroxymetolachlor, deschlorometolachlor and deschlorometolachlor propanol were considered to be possible metabolites. We determined the enantioselective toxicity of rac- and S-metolachlor to maize and speculated on the proposed metabolic pathway of metolachlor in maize roots. These results will help to develop an understanding of the proper application of rac- and S-metolachlor in crops, and give some information for environmental safety evaluation of rac- and S-metolachlor.     

Subcellular distribution and toxicity of cadmium in Potamogeton crispus L

The submerged macrophyte Potamogeton crispus L. was subjected to varying doses of cadmium (0, 20, 40, 60 and 80 μM) for 7 d, and the plants were analyzed for subcellular distribution of Cd, accumulation of mineral nutrients, photosynthesis, oxidative stress, protein content, and ultrastructural distribution of calcium (Ca). Leaf fractionation by differential centrifugation indicated that 48-69% of Cd was accumulated in the cell wall. At all doses of Cd, the levels of Ca and B rose and the level of Mn fell; the levels of Fe, Mg, Zn, Cu, Mo, and P rose initially only to decline later. Exposure to Cd caused oxidative stress as evident by increased content of malondialdehyde and decreased contents of chlorophyll and protein. Photosynthetic efficiency, as indicated by the quenching of chlorophyll a fluorescence (Fv/Fm, Fo and Fm), decreased significantly, the extent of decrease being directly proportional to the concentration of Cd. Increased amounts of precipitates of calcium were noticed in the treated plants, located either outside the cell membrane or in chloroplasts, mitochondria, the nucleus, and the cytoplasm whereas control plants showed small deposits of the precipitates around surface of the vacuole membrane and in the intercellular space but rarely in the cytoplasm. Photosynthetic efficiency and oxidative stress could be used as indicators of physiological end-points in determining the extent of Cd phytotoxicity.     

The adaptive response of lichens to mercury exposure involves changes in the photosynthetic machinery

Lichens are an excellent model to study the bioaccumulation of heavy metals but limited information is available on the molecular mechanisms occurring during bioaccumulation. We investigated the changes of the lichen proteome during exposure to constant concentrations of mercury. We found that most of changes involves proteins of the photosynthetic pathway, such as the chloroplastic photosystem I reaction center subunit II, the oxygen-evolving protein and the chloroplastic ATP synthase β-subunit. This suggests that photosynthesis is a target of the toxic effects of mercury. These findings are also supported by changes in the content of photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a and b, and β-carotene). Alterations to the photosynthetic machinery also reflect on the structure of thylakoid membranes of algal cells. Response of lichens to mercury also involves stress-related proteins (such as Hsp70) but not cytoskeletal proteins. Results suggest that lichens adapt to mercury exposure by changing the metabolic production of energy.     

红斑顠体虫的污泥减量效果

为了实现红斑顠体虫捕食污泥减量化,对不同条件下红斑顠体虫的污泥减量效果进行实验研究。实验结果表明：红斑顠体虫的污泥减量速率随初始MLSS及温度的增大而增大,初始MLSS越高,污泥减量速率越大。污泥减量速率随红斑顠体虫密度变化率的增大而逐渐增大,当红斑顠体虫的密度增长率出现下降时,污泥减量速率也呈下降趋势。采用间歇曝气（12 h曝气,12 h停曝）方式,红斑顠体虫的污泥减量速率会显著下降。在污泥好氧消化时,红斑顠体虫能捕食污泥中的有机碎片和细菌,达到污泥稳定化的指标要求。     

SO2-4/TiO2光催化降解苯酚

以工业硫酸氧钛为原料水解制得SO42-/TiO2光催化剂,并以苯酚为目标降解物,考察了SO24-/TiO2的光催化性能。结果表明:随着SO42-/TiO2制备过程中焙烧温度的升高,其光催化活性逐渐增加,650℃焙烧获得的SO24-/TiO2的光催化活性最好,此后再升高温度会因催化剂中硫的挥发而下降;在确定苯酚原液初始浓度为50 mg/L条件下,SO42-/TiO2的光催化降解苯酚的最佳工艺条件为反应时间2 h、苯酚pH为7、催化剂用量1 g/L。XRD、SEM和FTIR的分析结果显示实验温度下制得的SO42-/TiO2均为锐钛型TiO2;其间掺杂的SO24-在TiO2表面分散性较好,没有聚集成大的颗粒;红外分析的结果初步判定低温(<550℃)焙烧制得的催化剂SO42-在TiO2表面是螯合双配位吸附,高温焙烧时(>550℃)SO42-在TiO2表面是桥式配位吸附。     

有机酸土柱淋洗法修复重金属污染土壤

通过室内模拟实验,采用土柱淋洗方法,研究草酸、柠檬酸、乙酸和酒石酸溶液对某电镀厂附近土壤中重金属的去除效果。探讨了淋洗剂浓度、淋洗次数和淋洗时间等对淋洗效果的影响,研究草酸淋洗前后土壤中重金属形态的变化。结果表明,淋洗过程中铬的去除效果明显滞后于铜、锌和镍3种重金属离子。1 mol/L的草酸在土水比为1∶1,淋洗5h,淋洗4次的条件下可以达到最佳淋洗效果,Cu、Zn、Ni和Cr的去除率分别是99.6%、66.98%、88.7%和18.23%。     

不同质量浓度苦草对铜绿微囊藻生长及抗氧化酶系统的影响

采用苦草（Vallisneria spiralis Linn.）和铜绿微囊藻（Microcystis aeruginosa）共生培养的实验方法,通过追踪测定铜绿微囊藻的生物量、叶绿素a含量、丙二醛（MDA）含量、超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）和过氧化物酶（POD）活性,研究了不同质量浓度苦草对铜绿微囊藻生长及抗氧化酶系统的影响。结果表明,质量浓度大于10 g/L时,苦草对铜绿微囊藻有明显的抑制作用,表现为苦草质量浓度为10、20和40 g/L时,第15天对铜绿微囊藻的抑制率分别为63.3%、94.7%和99.8%,培养过程中,铜绿微囊藻的叶绿素a含量逐渐减少,而SOD、POD活性及MDA含量呈现先增加后逐渐降低的趋势,表明苦草释放的化感物质在经过一定时间积累后能够明显抑制铜绿微囊藻SOD和POD的活性,引起细胞的氧化损伤,促进叶绿素的分解,从而导致藻类死亡,这是苦草抑制铜绿微囊藻生长的原因之一。     

骨炭对水中不同形态Sb吸附和解吸的影响

采用骨炭作为吸附剂,研究其在不同骨炭用量、pH值和温度条件下对水中Sb（Ⅲ）和Sb（Ⅴ）吸附和解吸的影响。结果表明,骨炭对Sb（Ⅲ）的吸附效果远好于Sb（Ⅴ）,在0.2~8.0 mmol/L的Sb（Ⅲ）和Sb（Ⅴ）浓度下,骨炭对这2种形态Sb的去除率分别为46.1%~78.6%和9.6%~31.7%。采用Langmuir方程和Freundlich方程均可以很好地拟合骨炭对Sb（Ⅲ）和Sb（Ⅴ）的吸附,Sb（Ⅲ）和Sb（Ⅴ）的最大吸附容量分别为110.1034 mg/g和17.4167 mg/g。骨炭对Sb（Ⅲ）的解吸也大于对Sb（Ⅴ）的解吸。骨炭对Sb（Ⅲ）和Sb（Ⅴ）的吸附受不同骨炭用量、pH值和温度影响。     

Degradation of rizazole in water–sediment systems

This study investigated the degradation of rizazole in water-sediment systems (West Lake system, WL; Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal system, BG) with two different types of sediments under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. The half-lives of rizazole in the WL water phase (14.59–15.13 d) were similar to those in the BG water phase (15.90–16.46 d). Within 3–7 d, the rizazole concentration in the sediments reached the maximum values, i.e., equilibrium. Rizazole dissipation was faster in the WL sediment phase with higher organic matter content (T_1/2 = 18.99–19.09 d) compared with the BG sediment phase (T_1/2 = 31.08–33.32 d). Rizazole degradation was slightly faster in the West Lake water-sediment system (WL system) (T_1/2 = 17.11–18.05 d) than in the Beijing–Hangzhou Grand Canal water—sediment system (BG system) (T_1/2 = 20.51–25.02 d). The aerobic degradation of rizazole was similar to its anaerobic degradation in the water-sediment system. The findings are useful to understand the behavior of pesticide in environment.     

A method for the determination of rhodamine b and brilliant sulfaflavine on cotton string collectors and in a spray tank solution mixture

Abstract

A fluorescent method for the determination of rhodamine B (RhB) and brilliant sulfaflavine (BSF) dual tracers on cotton string collectors and in spray tank solutions was developed for the evaluation of the effects of adjuvants on the atmospheric drift of agricultural sprays. Both tracers on collectors were extracted with deionized water simultaneously and measured directly with a Fluorescent Specrometer by switching the maximum excitation and emission wavelengths. The linear ranges of the RhB and BSF standard curves were 0–50 and 0–10 ppb respectively. Recoveries of tracers on cotton strings ranged from 92.9% ± 1.1% to 95.1% ± 1.0% for RhB and 91.9% ± 2.8% to 103% ± 0.6% for BSF when spiked levels ranged from 0.25 to 2.5 μg per collector. The detection limit of the instrument was approximately 0.1 ppb for both tracers. The detection limits of the analytical method were approximately 0.1 ppb for RhB and 0.3 ppb for BSF when the background levels of cotton strings were subtracted. The presence of one tracer in the solution did not significantly interfere with the detection of the other tracer in the same solution. The presence of adjuvants added to the spray tank solutions did not interfere with the detection of both tracers when the adjuvants were applied at the manufacturer's maximum recommendation rates.