Synthesis of Short-chain-length/Medium-chain-length Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) Copolymers in Peroxisome of the Transgenic Arabidopsis Thaliana Harboring the PHA Synthase Gene from Pseudomonas sp. 61-3

In this paper, the photosynthetic production of short-chain-length/medium-chain-length polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) copolymers is reported. The wild-type and highly active doubly mutated PHA synthase 1 (S325T/Q481K, abbreviated ST/QK) genes from Pseudomonas sp. 61-3 were introduced into Arabidopsis thaliana. Peroxisome targeting signal 1 (PTS1) was used to target PHA synthases into the peroxisome to synthesize PHA from the intermediates of the β-oxidation pathway. The transgenic Arabidopsis produced PHA copolymers consisting of 40–57 mol% 3-hydroxybutyrate, 21–49 mol% 3-hydroxyvalerate, 8–18 mol% 3-hydroxyhexanoate, and 2–8 mol% 3-hydroxyoctanoate. The maximum PHA contents were 220μ g/g cell dry weight (cdw) in leaves, and 36μ g/g cdw in stems, respectively. The expression of the ST/QK mutated PHA synthase in leaves gene did not lead to significant difference in PHA content and monomer composition of PHAs, compared to the wild-type PHA synthase gene, suggesting that the supply of monomers may be a rate-determining step of PHA biosynthesis in the peroxisome. However, in stems, there were significant differences dependent on whether the wild-type or ST/QK mutated PHA synthase was expressed. These results suggest that tissue-specific monomer availability is important in determining the final mol% composition of PHA copolymers produced by the peroxisome in plants.     

Atmospheric depositional fluxes and sources apportionment of organochlorine pesticides in the Pearl River Delta region, South China

Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) have variously been phased out in agricultural activities, but they are still widely detected in air, water, and soil systems due to their recalcitrant nature in the environment. The purposes of this study were to assess potential OCP pollution via dry and wet deposition over the fast developing Pearl River Delta area with 41,700 km², where the main effort has been focused on emerging pollutants such as petroleum hydrocarbons and PM2.5. We quantified both the dry and wet deposition fluxes of 19 OCPs including dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs), endosulfans (Endos), and hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs). The results showed that each year about 67.4, 42.0, 15.0, and 8.07 kg of total OCPs, DDTs, Endos, and HCHs were returned to the ground, among which 11.7, 10.4, 0.84, and 0.16 kg were in the dry deposition forms. The large spatial variations in OCP deposition fluxes indicated that OCP pollution in the air is mainly influenced on local scales because evaporation from local soil is likely the major source of the phased out OCPs. Source analysis indicated that DDTs may be still in use as antifouling agent and/or dicofol, but Endos and HCHs were mainly derived from the residual of historical usage. The study suggests that the historical OCP pollutants are persistent at high levels in this area and should not be overlooked, while we tackle emerging pollutants.     

Molecular biomarkers of energy metabolism in mussels under anthropogenic pollution of Peter the Great Bay, the Sea of Japan

The functional state of the indicator species, the Gray mussel Crenomytilus grayanus (Bivalvia), has been analyzed in five areas of Peter the Great Bay exposed to anthropogenic pollution. The following indices of the state of mussels have been used: molecular biomarkers of energy metabolism—Na⁺,K⁺-ATPase, Mg²⁺-ATPase, and total ATPase activity—as well as the level of lipid peroxidation (LPO) and glutathione concentration in the hepatopancreas, gills, and gonads of mussels. The activity of ATPases, LPO level, and glutathione concentration significantly change in mussels from polluted areas relative to those in mussels from a conventionally unpolluted area (a bay in the Far Eastern State Marine Reserve). The molecular biomarkers used in the study provide reliable information on animal metabolism in impact areas. With consideration of the data obtained, it is concluded that the state of mussels in polluted areas is impaired.     

Impact of municipal solid waste dumpsites on trace metal contamination levels in the surrounding area: a case study in West Africa,Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - The impact of uncontrolled municipal dumping sites on metal contamination in the surrounding waters, sediments, and soils are of great concern in many...     

Effects of mercury graded doses on redox status,metallothionein levels and genotoxicity in the intestine of sea cucumber Holothuria forskali

Mercury (Hg) is a ubiquitous and a major environmental metal pollutant in the aquatic ecosystem. The present study was performed to evaluate the effect of mercury graded doses exposure on oxidative stress, redox status, metallothionein levels and genotoxicity in the intestine of sea cucumber Holothuria forskali. Specimens were exposed for 96?h to three concentrations of Hg (40, 80 and 160?µg/L). Exposure of H. forskali to Hg promoted oxidative stress with an increase in malondialdehyde (MDA), protein carbonyl (PCO) and advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP) levels. An increase of glutathione (GSH), vitamin C (ViteC) and non-protein thiols (NPSH) contents was also observed. Additionally, antioxidant activities of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) increased especially with the highest doses of Hg indicating a great defense of the antioxidant system. Our investigation revealed an increase in total Metallothionein (MT) content which was more pronounced at the sharpest concentrations of Hg. A significant decline of AChE activity was also observed. In the intestine of Hg-treated H. forskali genotoxicity was confirmed by DNA degradation.     

Identification of potential biomarkers for diazinon exposure to Japanese Medaka (Oryzias latipes) using annealing control primers

A new differential display-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method based on annealing control primers was used to screen and identify potential biomarkers from differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in medaka exposed to sub-lethal concentration of diazinon (100 ppb). Among the differentially expressed genes identified, the majority were in functional categories of protein biosynthesis, transport and metabolism according to the gene ontology classification. The differential expression of ribosomal protein genes was quantified by real time PCR. The genes encoding ribosomal proteins including L3 and S17 were selected as potential biomarkers for diazinon exposure in medaka fish.     

Improvement of thermal hydrolysis rate of dichloroacetic acid using alcohol

Dichloroacetic acid (DCAA) is produced during the oxidation of trichloroethylene. It is also produced in drinking water treatment as a disinfection by-product. DCAA is a problem material, because of its toxicity. The objective of this research is to find the final products and the reaction pathway of the DCAA decomposition by hydrolysis, and to increase the hydrolysis rate. The removal of both chlorine atoms in DCAA structure was achieved with hydrolysis at around 75 degrees C, and the final products were oxalic acid and glycolic acid. The reaction pathway was the production of oxalic acid and glycolic acid from two glyoxylic acid molecules by Cannizzaro reaction after the glyoxylic acid production from dechlorination of DCAA with hydrolysis. The hydrolysis rate of DCAA was increased with the use of 90% ethanol solution as solvent. The activation energy of DCAA was about 80 kJ/mol in it, while it was around 105 kJ/mol in water.     

Benefits-based analysis of visitor use of Sorak-san National Park in Korea

Benefits-based management seeks to provide recreation benefits for recreation participants by managing the physical environments in which recreation occurs. This study investigates the relationship between benefits desired by visitors and the physical, social, and managerial characteristics of settings that facilitate realization of recreation benefits. Data such as perceived benefits from recreation experiences, setting attributes that significantly influenced perceived benefits, and sociodemographic variables were collected from 376 visitors to Sorak-san National Park in the eastern part of the Korean peninsula. Cluster analysis was used to group visitors' desired benefits into 12 domains: relationship with nature/scenery, escaping pressure, learning about nature, family togetherness, introspection, exploration, autonomy/achievement, being with friends, leading others, skills/learning, risk taking, and meeting/observing new people. Multiple regression was used to link benefit domains with the characteristics of settings. The social attribute of recreation settings was linked to eight of the ten benefit domains. There were two statistically strong multiple regression correlations: (1) between domain of “relationship with nature /scenery” and the attributes “forest/water,”“attractive nature,” and “facility/maintenance” and (2) between the domain of “escaping pressure” and the attributes “attractive nature” and “social.” The results of this study are useful to managers in their efforts to provide recreation opportunities for visitors to achieve beneficial outcomes.     

Optimizing the removal of small fish passage barriers

Removing small artificial barriers that hinder upstream migrations of fish is a major problem in riparian habitat restoration. Because of budgetary limitations, it is necessary to prioritize barrier removal and repair decisions. These have usually been based on scoring and ranking procedures, which, although simple to use, can be very inefficient in terms of increasing the amount of accessible instream habitat. We develop a novel decision-making approach, based on integer programming techniques, which optimizes repair and removal decisions. Results show based on real datasets of barrier culverts located in Washington State that scoring and ranking is over 25% below the optimum on average and a full 100% below in the worst case, producing no net habitat gain whatsoever. This is compared to a dynamic programming method that was able to find optimal solutions in less than a second, even for problems with up to several hundred variables, and a heuristic method, which found solutions with less than a 1% average optimality gap in even less time.