Fungal bioconversion of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP)

Ninety strains of fungi from the collection of our mycology laboratory were tested in Galzy and Slonimski (GS) synthetic liquid medium for their ability to degrade the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) and its by-product, 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) at 100 mg l(-1), each. Evolution of the amounts of each chemical in the culture media was monitored by HPLC. After 5 days of cultivation, the best results were obtained with Aspergillus penicilloides and Mortierella isabellina for 2,4-D and with Chrysosporium pannorum and Mucor genevensis for 2,4-DCP. The data collected seemed to prove, on one hand, that the strains responses varied with the taxonomic groups and the chemicals tested, and, on the other hand, that 2,4-D was less accessible to fungal degradation than 2,4-DCP. In each case, kinetics studies with the two most efficient strains revealed that there was a lag phase of 1 day before the onset of 2,4-D degradation, whereas there was none during 2,4-DCP degradation. Moreover, 2,4-DCP was detected transiently during 2,4-D degradation. Finally, M. isabellina improved its degradation potential in Tartaric Acid (TA) medium relative to GS and Malt Extract (ME) media.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, black carbon, and molecular markers in soils of Switzerland

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were analysed in 23 soil samples (0–10 cm layer) from the Swiss soil monitoring network (NABO) together with total organic carbon (TOC) and black carbon (BC) concentration, as well as some PAH source diagnostic ratios and molecular markers. The concentrations of the sum of 16 EPA priority PAHs ranged from 50 to 619 μg/kg dw. Concentrations increased from arable, permanent and pasture grassland, forest, to urban soils and were 21–89% lower than median numbers reported in the literature for similar Swiss and European soils. NABO soils contained BC in concentrations from 0.4 to 1.8 mg/g dw, except for two sites with markedly higher levels. These numbers corresponded to 1–6% of TOC and were comparable to the limited published BC data in soil and sediments obtained with comparable analytical methods. The various PAH ratios and molecular markers pointed to a domination of pyrogenically formed PAHs in Swiss soils. In concert, the gathered data suggest the following major findings: (1) gas phase PAHs (naphthalene to fluorene) were long-range transported, cold-condensated at higher altitudes, and approaching equilibrium with soil organic matter (OM); (2) (partially) particle-bound PAHs (phenanthrene to benzo[ghi]perylene) were mostly deposited regionally in urban areas, and not equilibrated with soil OM; (3) Diesel combustion appeared to be a major emission source of PAH and BC in urban areas; and (4) wood combustion might have contributed significantly to PAH burdens in some soils of remote/alpine (forest) sites.     

Vertical distribution of Cd, Pb and Zn in soils near smelters in the North of France

The analysis of the horizons of 12 soil profiles confirm occasionally significant levels of Cd, Pb and Zn contamination in the areas surrounding two lead and zinc smelters in the North of France. A pedological approach enabled the original Cd, Pb and Zn content of the horizons to be estimated, based on physico-chemical characteristics of soil unaffected by contamination. The main contamination was found in the upper 20-30 cm. Traces of Cd and Zn contamination were found at a depth of around 2 m. The mobility of the metals may be classified in the following order: Cd>Pb> or =Zn. The concentration profile of a metal seems insufficient to evaluate its movement as the metal could have been leached beyond the contaminated horizons. The depth reached by the metals increases with their concentration in the surface horizon; a decrease in pH and an increase in sand content seem to facilitate their movement. The depth reached by Zn increases with the organic carbon content in the surface horizon. Earthworm galleries act as paths via which metals migrate downwards     

Integrated biomarker response index as a useful tool for environmental assessment evaluated using transplanted mussels

Mytilus galloprovincialis mussels from a clean area were transplanted from 2003 to 2005 to several stations in the Bay of Cannes (North-Western Mediterranean Sea) including a site considered as reference, for 1 month at the end of spring (May). Several biomarkers (AChE, GST and CAT activities, TBARS and MT concentrations) were measured in the transplanted organisms. The concentrations of metals (Cd, Cu and Zn) were determined in the transplanted mussels, PAH and PCB analyses were performed in the mussels caged in 2004. The integrated biomarker response (IBR) was calculated; pollutant concentrations in mussels were displayed as star plots and compared to IBR star plots. Visualization was thus possible between sites for comparison with exposure conditions. Results demonstrated that the mussels from the Old harbour site (VP) are characterized by elevated copper and PCB concentrations, those from Canto harbour (PC) presented high PCB contents and those from the mouth of the Siagne River (ES) high PAH concentrations compared to the animals transplanted in the reference site (IL). In 2003, there was a visual correlation between the copper gradient measured in the transplanted mussels and the IBR variation. In 2004, the agreement between the copper gradient and the PCB gradient measured in the caged mussels and the IBR variation was good whereas the PAH gradient did not seem to contribute to the IBR demonstrating that the chosen biomarkers did not respond to PAHs. In 2005, IBR showed that other contaminants, not measured might be present in VP, PC and ES compared to the reference station (IL).     

Decolorization of Remazol Black-B using a thermotolerant yeast, Kluyveromyces marxianus IMB3

The ability of Kluyveromyces marxianus IMB3 to decolorize Remazol Black-B dye was investigated. The effect of environmental conditions, such as pH and temperature were examined. No noticeable effects on decolorization were observed when pH varied from 3.0-5.5. Maximum colour removal, 98%, was achieved at 37 degrees C. Little or no colour removal was detected when K. marxianus IMB3 was incubated under anaerobic conditions. Further investigation, in which decolorization was monitored under extreme temperatures and low pH (to inhibit growth) and using ten fold dense inoculum, revealed that decolorization was due to biosorption to the yeast cells and not due to a metabolic reaction.     

大气环境例行监测中点位系统偏差校正方法

大气环境例行监测中点位系统偏差校正方法赵虹张国荣（辽宁丹东市环境监测站,丹东１１８００２）①降尘校正：利用优化前４个点位４８个数据样本作为自变量;优化后４个点位４８个数据样本为因变量,建立一元线性回归方程：ｙ＝１．８１６＋０．７４８ｘ,式中ｘ为优化前...     

Indoor and outdoor BTX levels in Barcelona City metropolitan area and Catalan rural areas

Five aromatic hydrocarbons (benzene, toluene, and three isomeric xylenes) were monitored in indoor and outdoor air of 7 public buildings and 54 private homes, located in Barcelona City metropolitan area and in several rural areas of Catalonia. The sampling was carried out over four periods: spring-summer and winter of 2000, and summer and winter of 2001. Passive ORSA 5 Dra¨ger samplers were used for benzene, toluene, and xylenes (BTX) adsorption. BTX were extracted with carbon disulphide and analysed using ...     

Effects of the triazine herbicide, simetryn, on freshwater plankton communities in experimental ponds

The effects of a triazine herbicide, simetryn, on freshwater phyto- and zooplankton communities and water chemistry were investigated using outdoor experimental ponds. Simetryn was applied at a concentration of 0.1 or 1.0 mg l(-1) 18 days after the start of the experiment. Simetryn treatments reduced pH, dissolved oxygen concentration, chlorophyll a concentration and photosynthetic rate in the pond water, whereas they increased the dissolved nutrient concentration. In the phytoplankton community Volvocales and Cryptophyceae were clearly reduced by the herbicide application. In the 0.1 mg l(-1) simetryn-treated ponds, photosynthetic rate of the phytoplankton community recovered slightly about two weeks after the treatment, which coincided with recovery of centric diatoms and Cryptophyceae, whereas it was completely suppressed until the end of the experiment in the 1.0 mg l(-1) simetryn-treated ponds. The decrease in zooplankton density in the treated ponds was not due to the direct toxic effects of simetryn but to indirect effects resulting from reduced algal productivity which in turn reduced the food supply.     

美国佛罗里达州阿波普卡湖水文和土地利用变化的生物突变响应

阿波普卡(Apopka)湖位于佛罗里达中北部,是一个富营养化的浅水湖泊.1947年,湖泊的初级生产群落结构(PPCS)发生了巨大的变化.在1947年,水下的水生植物被飓风连根拔起,并在数周之内被浮游植物所替代,初级生产群落结构发生了突然演替.在此我们提出两个假设解释群落结构向浮游植物的突然演替.首先,流域在19世纪初后期的水文变化使湖泊的水位大约下降了1.0 m,从而使生态系统通过大型植物群落生产力提高适应了中等的、人为的营养物质富集的环境.第二,开始于1942年的泛滥平原湿地的水文变化和大规模的农业发展,改变了湖泊中磷载荷的模式和规模,引起了1947年浮游植物占优势的突然变化.历史上土地利用变化和古湖泊在营养物的生物响应数据方面也支持这些假设.     

Largest bird from the Early Cretaceous and its implications for the earliest avian ecological diversification

With only one known exception, early Cretaceous birds were smaller than their closest theropod dinosaur relatives. Here we report on a new bird from the Early Cretaceous feathered-dinosaur-bearing continental deposits of Liaoning, northeast China, which is not only larger than Archaeopteryx but is nearly twice as large as the basal dromaeosaur Microraptor. The new taxon, Sapeornis chaoyangensis gen. et sp. nov., has a more basal phylogenetic position than all other birds except for Archaeopteryx. Its exceptionally long forelimbs, well-developed deltoid crest of the humerus, proximally fused metacarpals, relatively short hindlimbs and short pygostyle indicate powerful soaring capability and further suggest that by the Early Cretaceous ecological diversification of early birds was greater than previously assumed. Electronic supplementary material to this paper can be obtained by using the Springer LINK server located at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00114-001-0276-9.