In vitro biotransformation of PBDEs by root crude enzyme extracts: Potential role of nitrate reductase (NaR) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) in their debromination

In order to investigate the enzyme transformation of PBDEs and to track the key enzymes involved in PBDE degradation in plants, in vivo exposure of plants of ryegrass, pumpkin and maize and in vitro exposure of their root crude enzyme extracts to PBDEs were conducted. Degradation of PBDEs in the root crude enzyme solutions fit well with the first order kinetics (R² = 0.52–0.97, P < 0.05), and higher PBDEs degraded faster than the lower ones. PBDEs could be transformed to lower brominated PBDEs and hydroxylated-PBDEs by the root crude enzyme extracts with debromination as the main pathway which contributed over 90% of PBDE depletion. In vitro and in vivo exposure to PBDEs produced similar responses in root enzyme activities of which the nitroreductase (NaR) and glutathione-transferase (GST) activities decreased significantly, while the peroxidase, catalase and cytochrome P-450 activities had no significant changes. Furthermore, higher enzyme concentrations of NaR and GST led to higher PBDE debromination rates, and the time-dependent activities of NaR and GST in the root crude enzyme extracts were similar to the trends of PBDE depletion. All these results suggest that NaR and GST were the key enzymes responsible for PBDE degradation. This conclusion was further confirmed by the in vitro debromination of PBDEs with the commercial pure NaR and GST.     

Estimation and characterization of PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs from Chinese iron foundries

The iron foundry industry is considered to be a potential source of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs). This study investigated the emission factors and total emission amounts of PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (DL-PCBs) from iron foundries in China. The concentrations and the World Health Organization toxicity equivalents (WHO-TEQs) are presented and the congener profiles are discussed in this paper.In the present work, 26 fly ash samples were collected and tested to quantify the PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs generated by 14 plants of different scales, and five stack gas samples were collected from two (named as EFG and LFG) of those plants. The emission levels of PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs indicated that hot-air cupolas had lower emissions than cold-air cupolas. When iron ore lump and sinter were used as raw material, the emission factors were about 250 ng TEQ t⁻¹ of product. However, if the raw material was scrap, the emission factors varied owing to the different contents of organic materials in the raw materials. It was found that the mean WHO-TEQ values of PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs were 144 and 34.2 pg Nm⁻³ in stack gas and 20.0 and 1.58 pg g⁻¹ in fly ash. In multiple tests, it was estimated that the mean emission factors of PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs were 365 and 10.9 ng WHO-TEQ t⁻¹ released to residue and 2719 and 555 ng TEQ t⁻¹ released to air. The total emission amounts of PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs from Chinese iron foundries with cupola furnaces released to residue and air were 16.8 and 146 g WHO-TEQ in 2008, respectively.     

高负荷人工土层地下渗滤系统处理生活污水中试工程的研究

对传统的地下渗滤系统进行改进,采用多层过渡结构的人工土层来增大对颗粒有机物的接触氧化表面积,同时设置曝气装置保证好氧过程的氧气供应,可以大大提高污水地下处理系统的水力负荷.以中国南方典型的红壤土、河沙和砾石为填充材料,处理广州地化所小区的生活污水,水力负荷达40 cm/d,远大于类似系统.试验结果表明,改进后的系统能创造良好的好氧/厌氧环境,对污染物去除效果良好,COD、BOD5、TN、NH 4-N、TP和SS去除率分别达到了76.7%～89.1%、83.3%～92.5%、50.3%～66.1%、65.2%～79.6%、75.4%～90.1%和77.0%～91.3%,出水主要污染物达到了《污水综合排放标准》(GB 8978-1996)一级排放标准或二级排放标准.     

生物技术在环境监测中的应用

文章介绍了实验室常用的生物监测方法,从生物学角度来判断环境污染的程度,为环境质量的监测和评价提供依据。着重对细菌学监测、隐孢子虫和贾第鞭毛虫的监测、浮游动植物监测、生物综合毒性监测等进行了专门论述。     

柴窝堡湖表层底泥重金属污染评价

研究了乌鲁木齐市柴窝堡湖表层底泥的重金属含量,并采用Hakanson潜在生态危害指数法对底泥中的重金属潜在生态风险进行评价。结果表明:底泥中Cu、Zn、Pb、Cd含量均超出乌鲁木齐市土壤背景值。除湖心区外,Cd在5个监测区域中的潜在生态危害均为中等;其它重金属在5个采样点的潜在生态危害均为轻微。各重金属间的相关性分析表明,Zn与Cu,Pb与Cd、Cu呈显著正相关,说明这4种元素污染源可能相同。柴窝堡湖表层底泥受到Cu、Zn、Pb、Cd污染,需采取相应措施防止重金属由底泥进入水相。     

人工湿地净化河道水质的研究进展

人工湿地是近年来国内外应用较多、发展较快的一种污水处理技术,本文从国内外人工湿地净化河水的技术应用出发,列举了人工湿地处理河水污染的效果和优势,并对湿地净化河水效率影响较大的湿地植物、填料、气候条件以及湿地构造4个因素进行了比较、分析和总结,最后对人工湿地净化河道水质进行了展望。     

生态适宜的城市发展空间分析方法与案例研究

综合运用生态功能区划方法和土地建设适宜性分析技术,基于地理信息系统平台建立了生态适宜的城市发展空间区域(生态主导功能区)的划分方法,依据生态保护原则和土地开发适宜度,将城市生态主导功能区划分为禁止、限制、优化和重点开发区4种类型.介绍了该方法在大连市的应用.结果表明,大连市禁止、限制、优先和重点开发区面积分别占全市域土地面积的56%、19%、12%和13%.     

电子受体类型对聚磷污泥胞外聚合物的影响研究

采用3种电子受体(硝氮、亚硝氮、氧),在SBR反应器中分别驯化了具有稳定除磷能力的聚磷污泥。对比研究了不同聚磷污泥胞外聚合物(EPS)的组分与含量,结合三维荧光光谱对EPS中有机物质进行分析。研究表明,以硝氮、亚硝氮为电子受体的聚磷污泥EPS平均浓度较为接近,分别为115.6mg/gVSS、133.5 mg/gVSS,由厌氧段至缺氧段,EPS总浓度有所下降。以氧为电子受体聚磷污泥的EPS平均浓度相对较高,为194.5 mg/gVSS,由厌氧段至好氧段,EPS总浓度略有升高。不同聚磷污泥的EPS组分均以胞外蛋白为主,占EPS总量的53%~65%,多糖与核酸占EPS总量28%~34%、5%~7%。三维荧光光谱显示3种聚磷污泥EPS均具有芳香结构蛋白质、可溶性代谢物的荧光峰,另外,以硝氮为电子受体的聚磷污泥还具有明显的腐殖酸类物质的荧光峰。研究结果表明电子受体对聚磷污泥EPS的组分、浓度、有机质类别有一定的影响。     

县域生态功能区划研究——以巩义市为例

文章结合河南省巩义市的实例,对县城小尺度生态功能区划分的方法和指标选取进行实际应用的探讨。巩义市生态功能区划采用2级分区（生态区和生态功能区）的等级体系。其中,生态功能区的划分采用定量与定性相结合的方法,定量分析中选取了形成生态系统特征、影响生态服务功能的14个特征因子进行聚类分析,在此基础上,再采用主导标志法进行区域划分。最后提出巩义市4个生态区和8个生态功能区的二级生态功能区划方案。     

The thermal transformation mechanism of chlorinated paraffins: An experimental and density functional theory study

The increasing production and usage of chlorinated paraffins(CPs) correspondently increase the amount of CPs that experience thermal processes. Our previous study revealed that a significant amount of medium-chain chlorinated paraffins(MCCPs), short-chain chlorinated paraffins(SCCPs) as well as aromatic and chlorinated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(Cl-PAHs) were formed synergistically during the thermal decomposition of CP-52(a class of CP products).However, the transformation mechanisms of CP-52 to these compounds are still not very clear.This article presents a mechanistic analysis on the decomposition of CP-52 experimentally and theoretically. It was found that CP-52 initially undergoes dehydrochlorination and carbon chain cleavage and it transformed into chlorinated and unsaturated hydrocarbons. Cyclization and aromatization were the most accessible pathways at low temperatures(200–400°C), both of which produce mostly aromatic hydrocarbons. As the temperature exceeds 400°C, the hydrocarbons could decompose into small molecules, and the subsequent radical-induced reactions become the predominant pathways, leading to the formation of Cl-PAHs. The decomposition of CP-52 was investigated by using density functional theory and calculations demonstrating the feasibility and rationality of PCB and PCN formation from chlorobenzene. The results improve the understanding of the transformation processes from CP-52 to SCCPs and Cl-PAHs as well as provide data for reducing their emissions during thermal-related processes.