Molecular diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi at a large-scale antimony mining area in southern China

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have great potential for assisting heavy metal hyperaccumulators in the remediation of contaminated soils. However, little information is available about the community composition of AMF under natural conditions in soils contaminated by antimony (Sb). The objective of this study was to investigate the characteristics of AMF molecular diversity, and to explore the effects of Sb content and soil properties on the AMF community structure in an Sb mining area. Four Sb mine spoils and one adjacent reference area were selected from around the Xikuangshan mine in southern China. The association of AMF molecular diversity and community composition with the rhizosphere soils of the dominant plant species was studied by Polymerase Chain Reaction-Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE). Results from all five studied sites showed that the diversity of AMF decreased with increasing Sb concentration. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that the AMF community structure was markedly different among these groups. Further redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that Sb contaminationwas the dominating factor influencing the AMF community structure in the Sb mine area. However, the multivariate analysis showed that, apart from the soil Sb content, extractable nitrogen content and organic matter content also attributed to AMF sequence distribution type. Some AMF sequences were only found in the highly contaminated area and these might be ideal candidates for improving phytoremediation efficiency in Sb mining regions. Gene sequencing analysis revealed that most species were affiliated with Glomus, suggesting that Glomus was the dominant AMF genus in the studied Sb mining area.     

Microcystis aeruginosa/Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes interaction effects on off-flavors in algae/bacteria co-culture system under different temperatures

We conducted an experiment to study the interaction effects of Microcystis aeruginosa and Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes on off-flavors in an algae/bacteria co-culture system at three temperatures (24, 28 and 32°C). Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry was applied to measure off-flavor compounds dimethyl sulfide (DMS), dimethyl trisulfide (DMTS), 2-methylisoborneol, geosmin (GEO) and β-cyclocitral. During the lag phase of co-cultured M. aeruginosa (first 15 days), P. pseudoalcaligenes significantly increased the production of DMS, DMTS and β-cyclocitral at all three temperatures. In the exponential phase of co-cultured M. aeruginosa (after 15 days), M. aeruginosa became the main factor on off-flavors in the co-culture system, and β-cyclocitral turned to the highest off-flavor compound. These results also indicated that DMS, DMTS and β-cyclocitral were the main off-flavor compounds in our M. aeruginosa/P. pseudoalcaligenes co-culture system. Univariate analysis was applied to investigate the effects of M. aeruginosa and P. pseudoalcaligenes on the production of off-flavors. The results demonstrated that both M. aeruginosa and P. pseudoalcaligenes could increase the production of DMS and DMTS, while β-cyclocitral was mainly determined by M. aeruginosa. Our results also provide some insights into understanding the relationship between cyanobacteria and heterotrophic bacteria.     

Methane and nitrous oxide emissions from a subtropical coastal embayment (Moreton Bay, Australia)

Surface water methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) concentrations and fluxes were investigated in two subtropical coastal embayments (Bramble Bay and Deception Bay, which are part of the greater Moreton Bay, Australia). Measurements were done at 23 stations in seven campaigns covering different seasons during 2010-2012. Water-air fluxes were estimated using the Thin Boundary Layer approach with a combination of wind and currents-based models for the estimation of the gas transfer velocities. The two bays were strong sources of both CH₄ and N₂O with no significant differences in the degree of saturation of both gases between them during all measurement campaigns. Both CH₄ and N₂O concentrations had strong temporal but minimal spatial variability in both bays. During the seven seasons, CH₄ varied between 500% and 4000% saturation while N₂O varied between 128 and 255% in the two bays. Average seasonal CH₄ fluxes for the two bays varied between 0.5 ± 0.2 and 6.0 ± 1.5 mg CH₄/(m²·day) while N₂O varied between 0.4 ± 0.1 and 1.6 ± 0.6 mg N₂O/(m²·day). Weighted emissions (t CO₂-e) were 63%-90% N₂O dominated implying that a reduction in N₂O inputs and/or nitrogen availability in the bays may significantly reduce the bays' greenhouse gas (GHG) budget. Emissions data for tropical and subtropical systems is still scarce. This work found subtropical bays to be significant aquatic sources of both CH₄ and N₂O and puts the estimated fluxes into the global context with measurements done from other climatic regions.     

Risk assessment of Giardia from a full scale MBR sewage treatment plant caused by membrane integrity failure

Membrane bioreactors (MBR) are highly efficient at intercepting particles and microbes and have become an important technology for wastewater reclamation. However, many pathogens can accumulate in activated sludge due to the long residence time usually adopted in MBR, and thus may pose health risks when membrane integrity problems occur. This study presents data from a survey on the occurrence of water-borne Giardia pathogens in reclaimed water from a full-scale wastewater treatment plant with MBR experiencing membrane integrity failure, and assessed the associated risk for green space irrigation. Due to membrane integrity failure, the MBR effluent turbidity varied between 0.23 and 1.90 NTU over a period of eight months. Though this turbidity level still met reclaimed water quality standards (≤5 NTU), Giardia were detected at concentrations of 0.3 to 95 cysts/10 L, with a close correlation between effluent turbidity and Giardia concentration. All β-giardin gene sequences of Giardia in the WWTP influents were genotyped as Assemblages A and B, both of which are known to infect humans. An exponential dose-response model was applied to assess the risk of infection by Giardia. The risk in the MBR effluent with chlorination was 9.83 × 10^-3, higher than the acceptable annual risk of 1.0 × 10^-4. This study suggested that membrane integrity is very important for keeping a low pathogen level, and multiple barriers are needed to ensure the biological safety of MBR effluent.     

Microcystis aeruginosa/Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes interaction effects on off-flavors in algae/bacteria co-culture system under different temperatures

We conducted an experiment to study the interaction effects of Microcystis aeruginosa and Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes on off-flavors in an algae/bacteria co-culture system at three temperatures(24, 28 and 32℃). Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry was applied to measure off-flavor compounds dimethyl sulfide(DMS), dimethyl trisulfide(DMTS),2-methylisoborneol, geosmin(GEO) and β-cyclocitral. During the lag phase of co-cultured M. aeruginosa(first 15 days), P. pseudoalcaligenes significantly increased the production of DMS, DMTS and β-cyclocitral at all three temperatures. In the exponential phase of co-cultured M. aeruginosa(after 15 days), M. aeruginosa became the main factor on off-flavors in the co-culture system, and β-cyclocitral turned to the highest off-flavor compound. These results also indicated that DMS, DMTS and β-cyclocitral were the main off-flavor compounds in our M. aeruginosa/P. pseudoalcaligenes co-culture system. Univariate analysis was applied to investigate the effects of M. aeruginosa and P. pseudoalcaligenes on the production of off-flavors. The results demonstrated that both M. aeruginosa and P. pseudoalcaligenes could increase the production of DMS and DMTS, while β-cyclocitral was mainly determined by M. aeruginosa. Our results also provide some insights into understanding the relationship between cyanobacteria and heterotrophic bacteria.     

典型污灌区水体中有机氯农药分布及来源分析

在干旱与半干旱地区,工业废水和生活污水灌溉农田作为一种有效的资源一直被广泛利用,但污水中有害成分也对灌区生态环境造成了很大影响。文章以太原小店污灌区为例,根据灌区灌渠和地下水流场分布,分别采集地表水样10个和地下水样20个,利用液液萃取-气相色谱法分析水样中有机氯农药(OCPs)含量。研究结果表明,地表水中OCPs浓度范围为32.21~671.82 ng/L(均值为184.21ng/L);所有地下水中OCPs浓度均未超过《地下水环境质量标准》中Ⅲ类标准,浓度范围为9.44~84.01 ng/L;污水回灌对地下水中OCPs分布具有一定的影响,不同灌溉方式区域中OCPs浓度依次为:污灌区清灌区背景点;经过污染物源解析,研究区水环境中,OCPs中滴滴涕主要来源于历史残留,六六六主要来源于林丹的近期使用。     

城市空气污染影响因素的灰色斜率关联度分析研究

城市空气污染严重影响着城市的发展和人民的健康,为了研究城市空气污染的影响因素对于污染的影响程度和类型,采用了灰色系统理论中灰色关联分析方法的斜率关联度模型.以广州、西安和乌鲁木齐为研究对象,选取了几个具有典型的空气污染因素.结果表明:对于这三个城市而言,燃煤都是空气污染的最主要污染因素,而对于不同的城市,其他污染因素对于不同污染物有着不同的影响,在污染治理的时候要分析城市具体所存在的首要污染物以对症下药.     

基于致灾因子指标体系的海冰灾害风险评估和区划方法

中国是世界上受海冰危害严重的国家之一,历史上曾发生过多次严重海冰灾害,造成重大损失。根据我国结冰海区海冰灾害风险的自然过程、社会经济状况和成灾机制,综合考虑致灾因子危险性、承灾体分类、分布及脆弱性以及防灾减灾能力等因素,对海冰灾害发生的可能性及其不确定性等进行综合分析,提出了开展海冰灾害风险评估和区划的理论依据,同时给出了利用致灾因子指标体系对海冰灾害风险进行评估和区划的具体方法。     

秸秆厌氧发酵产沼气技术现状进展

秸秆是世界上数量最大的可再生资源,但是秸秆内木质纤维素的复杂结构和难降解性限制了秸秆的应用,因此秸秆预处理成为秸秆发酵产气的重要一环。本文介绍了木质纤维素预处理物理技术、化学技术、生物技术、联合处理技术和秸秆厌氧发酵研究进展,并对秸秆预处理技术前景进行展望。     

Fenton法和类Fenton法降解土壤中的二苯砷酸

本文对Fenton法与类Fenton法降解土壤中的二苯砷酸(diphenylarsinic acid,DPAA)进行了研究.考察了H2O2投加量和催化剂种类(Fe2+/Fe3+)对红壤及黑土中DPAA降解效果的影响,并采用高效液相色谱-质谱联用法(HPLC-MS/MS)对降解中间产物进行了初步鉴定.结果显示,针对红壤与黑土分别采用类Fenton法与Fenton法,在H2O2投加浓度为1 mol·L-1,含铁催化剂浓度为0.25 mol·L-1,土水比为1∶3,反应时间为1h的条件下,红壤及黑土中DPAA的降解率均可达到65%以上.HPLC-MS/MS的分析结果表明,DPAA可脱苯环形成降解产物苯砷酸(phenylarsinic acid,PAA),而PAA进一步氧化生成无机砷,这可能是Fenton/类Fenton法降解DPAA的途径之一.