Chlorinated and brominated organic contaminants in fish from Shanghai markets: a case study of human exposure

In the present study were two favorite edible fish species for local residents, i.e., mandarin fish and crawfish, collected from the Shanghai market and analyzed for selected organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and methoxylated PBDEs (MeO-PBDEs). Efforts were also made to identify the potential sources of these contaminants. Comparable concentrations of hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs) and HBCDD were found in muscle tissue of mandarin fish from Guangdong (GDF), the Pearl River Delta and from Taihu Lake (TLF), the Yangtze River Delta. Levels of chlordanes, PCBs and PBDEs were about one magnitude lower in TLF compared to GDF. The concentrations of OCPs in the butter-like gland of the crawfish (CFB) were 2-5 times of those in the crawfish muscle (CFM) while concentrations of PCBs, PBDEs and MeO-PBDEs were comparable. The different patterns and levels of chlorinated and brominated organohalogen contaminants seen in mandarin fish from GDF and TLF indicates that different types of chemicals might be used in the two delta regions. The present study also shows a good correlation between the concentrations of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and pentachloroanisol (PCA) in fish for the first time. Fish consumption limits based on chemical contaminants with non-carcinogenic effects were calculated. The estimated maximum daily consumption limit for GDF, TLF, CFM and CFB were 1.5, 2.6, 3.7 and 0.08 kg, respectively, indicating no significant risk regarding the persistent organic pollutants measured in the present study.     

Comparison of homologous and heterologous formats in nanocolloidal gold-based immunoassays for parathion residue determination

The effectiveness of homologous and heterologous formats in a nanocolloidal gold-based immunoassay for pesticide residue determination was investigated. Parathion, one of the most toxic organophosphorus pesticides, was used as the target analyte. One-step homologous and heterologous test strips based on a nanocolloidal gold-labeled monoclonal antibody were developed for the rapid detection of parathion residues. The results showed that the heterologous format was more effective than the homologous format, being more sensitive, more specific to parathion and more tolerant of matrix interferences. The best competitive hapten was found to have a moderate heterology and the opposite electronic distribution to the immunizing hapten. The detection limits for parathion using the preferred heterologous strip were 1 μg/L in water samples and 5 μg/kg in soil and food samples.     

Can body-size patterns of ciliated zooplankton be used for assessing marine water quality? A case study on bioassessment in Jiaozhou Bay, northern Yellow Sea

Introduction

In order to reveal the potential relationships between body-size patterns of microzooplankton and environmental status, the spatial patterns in body-size spectra of ciliated zooplanktons were studied based on an annual dataset in a bay of the Yellow Sea, northern China.

Materials and methods

A total of 120 samples were collected at a depth of 1?m from each of five sampling sites with a spatial gradient of environmental stress from June 2007 to May 2008. A range of physico-chemical variables were measured synchronously for comparison with biotic parameters.

Results

The spatial body-size patterns of ciliated zooplankton represented significant differences among the five sites, and were significantly correlated with the changes of physico-chemical parameters, especially salinity, dissolved oxygen and nutrients. Two paired indices, the average body-size distinctness (AvBSD) and the variation in body-size distinctness (VarBSD), were proposed based on the trait resemblances among ciliate species in body-size pattern. The paired measures showed a clear decreasing trend of departure from the expected body-size spectra in response to water quality status.

Conclusion

These results suggest that the body-size pattern of ciliated zooplankton might be used as a potential indicator of marine water quality.     

Biofilm formation and microbial community analysis of the simulated river bioreactor for contaminated source water remediation

Background, aim, and scope

The start-up pattern of biofilm remediation system affects the biofilm characteristics and operating performances. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performances of the contaminated source water remediation systems with different start-up patterns in view of the pollutants removal performances and microbial community succession.

Methods

The operating performances of four lab-scale simulated river biofilm reactors were examined which employed different start-up methods (natural enrichment and artificial enhancement viadischarging sediment with influent velocity gradient increase) and different bio-fillers (Elastic filler and AquaMats? ecobase). At the same time, the microbial communities of the bioreactors in different phases were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis, and sequencing.

Results and discussion

The pollutants removal performances became stable in the four reactors after 2 months?? operation, with ammonia nitrogen and permanganate index (COD_Mn) removal efficiencies of 84.41?C94.21% and 69.66?C76.60%, respectively. The biomass of mature biofilm was higher in the bioreactors by artificial enhancement than that by natural enrichment. Microbial community analysis indicated that elastic filler could enrich mature biofilm faster than AquaMats?. The heterotrophic bacteria diversity of biofilm decreased by artificial enhancement, which favored the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) developing on the bio-fillers. Furthermore, Nitrosomonas- and Nitrosospira-like AOB coexisted in the biofilm, and Pseudomonas sp., Sphaerotilus sp., Janthinobacterium sp., Corynebacterium aurimucosum were dominant in the oligotrophic niche.

Conclusion

Artificial enhancement via the combination of sediment discharging and influent velocity gradient increasing could enhance the biofilm formation and autotrophic AOB enrichment in oligotrophic niche.     

Characterization of carbonic anhydrase II from Chlorella vulgaris in bio-CO2 capture

Carbonic anhydrase II (CA II) can catalyze the reversible hydration reaction of CO₂ at a maximum of 1.4?×?10⁶ molecules of CO₂ per second. The crude intracellular enzyme extract containing CA II was derived from Chlorella vulgaris. A successful CO₂ capture experiment with the presence of calcium had been conducted on the premise that the temperature was conditioned at a scope of 30?C40?°C, that the biocatalyst-nurtured algal growth period lasted 3?days, and that pH ranged from7.5 to 8.5. Ions of K⁺, Na⁺, Ca²⁺, Co²⁺, Cu²⁺, Fe³⁺, Mg²⁺, Mn²⁺, and Zn²⁺ at 0.01, 0.1, and 0.5?M were found to exhibit no more than 30?% inhibition on the residual activity of the biocatalyst. It is reasonable to expect that calcification catalyzed by microalgae presents an alternative to geological carbon capture and sequestration through a chain of fundamental researches carried on under the guidance of sequestration technology.     

高分子量高纯度阳离子聚丙烯酰胺的合成

以丙烯酰胺与丙烯酰氧乙基三甲基氯化铵为单体,在复合引发剂的作用下,选择水溶液共聚法合成高分子量与高纯度阳离子型聚丙烯酰胺(CPAM)。实验表明,有机偶氮引发剂A用量0.5‰、氧化还原引发剂用量0.45‰、还原剂与氧化剂摩尔比2∶1、反应体系pH为4与反应时间5 h条件下,CPAM分子量为1 042万,且溶解性好。通过对聚合物残单含量影响因素添加剂用量、反应时间的研究,结果表明,添加剂EDTA和增溶剂D对残留AM含量影响小,而苯甲酸钠对聚合物残留AM的含量影响显著;延长反应时间至7 h,残单含量可降低至0.27%,CPAM的纯度高。通过与国内外3种同类型产品进行对比,结果表明,自制产品的分子量明显高于其他产品,且残单含量比国内产品降低了50%～75%。     

脂肽类生物表面活性剂液体发酵条件的响应面优化

通过Plackett-Burman和Box-Behnken实验对解淀粉芽孢杆菌XZ-173液体发酵生产表面活性素进行了响应面优化研究。首先使用Plackett-Burman实验对影响表面活性素产量的17个因素进行显著性筛选,结果表明,MnSO4、CuSO4、温度和转速为显著性因素。再运用Box-Behnken实验对这4个显著因素的取值进一步优化,得到各因素优化后的数值分别为4.4 mg/L(MnSO4)、0.18 mg/L(CuSO4)、29℃(温度)和163 r/min(转速)。响应面分析结果表明:该菌株产生表面活性素的最佳培养基为:葡萄糖15 g/L,蛋白胨5 g/L,L-谷氨酸钠6 g/L,KH2PO40.8 g/L,MgSO40.4 g/L,KCl 0.4 g/L,酵母提取物3 g/L,L-苯丙氨酸2.5 mg/L,MnSO44.4 mg/L,CuSO40.18 mg/L,FeSO40.12 mg/L;最适培养条件:pH 7.5,温度29℃,转速163 r/min,接种量5%,装液量50 mL/250 mL,摇床培养36 h。在优化后的条件下,表面活性素实际产量为336 mg/L,实际实验结果与模型预测结果相一致。表面活性素采用HPLC技术分离,发现其在浓度仅为50 mg/L时EI24就可达到70%以上,反映了表面活性素优异的乳化活性以及广阔的应用前景。     

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。     

磁絮凝处理废水工艺条件的响应曲面法优化研究

以聚硅硫酸铁(PFSS)为絮凝剂、磁流体为磁种,采用磁絮凝法处理模拟废水。在正交实验基础上,利用Matlab软件进行响应曲面分析,研究磁絮凝法处理模拟废水的各因素间具有的交互作用关系。回归拟合结果表明最佳工艺条件为:PFSS加入量36.8g/L,模拟废水pH7.4,磁种加入量14.7mg/L,搅拌转速266r/min。在最佳工艺条件下进行实验,TP去除率为97.70%。