Studies on the effect of Bladex and Etazine on bacterial indices of pollution

The effect of the triazine herbicides Etazine and Bladex on coliform and fecal streptococci groups was studied in Nile river water, Nile water seeded with sewage, and autoclaved Nile water. The results indicate the fecal streptococci were able to persist and multiply in Nile water containing Bladex or Etazine and seeded with sewage. The successive addition of Bladex and Etazine (up to 10 mg/liter) increased its degradation rate and had no inhibitory effect on the bacterial parameters.     

Determination of Hydrocarbons in Mussels from the Egyptian Red Sea Coast

Mussels (Brachidontes Sp.) collected in April 2000 from the Red Sea coastal of Egypt in order to determine the contamination by hydrocarbons. The study included 11 sampling stations covering about 450 Km of the Egyptian Red Sea coast for the first time. Total concentrations of 20 aliphatics (average 0.105 ng g(-1) of wet weight) and sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) (average 5452 ng g(-1) of wet weight) were generally lower in comparison with those reported for some of the published surveillance and monitoring studies of coastal areas from various regions. These results suggest that the coastal area in the Red Sea of Egypt might be considered as a relatively unpolluted.     

Effect of supplemented soybean (Glycine max L) diet and extracts on aluminum sulfate-induced genotoxicity

Aim of this study is to evaluate the protective role of Glycine max L. (soybean) against aluminum sulfate-induced genotoxicity. A diet containing 30% soybean and extracts obtained with various organic solvents were administered orally to male white Swiss mice prior to intraperitoneal injection of Al₂(SO₄)₃. Light microscopy was used for the examination of genotoxicity involving somatic cells, germ cells, and sperms. The main secondary metabolites contained in each extract were isolated and identified by chromatographic and spectral analyses. Administration of soy diet and extracts to the examined mice induced significant anti-mutagenic activity against bone marrow aberrations and spermatocyte and sperm abnormalities. At the end of this study, maximum protection was achieved using the methanolic extract (83% and 79%) followed by those obtained with chloroform (71% and 49%) and n-hexane (51% and 39%) for bone marrow aberrations and spermatocyte abnormalities, respectively. The observed activity of soybean extracts might be related to the main constituents isolated and identified. These main constituents were the isoflavone glycosides genistin and daidzin in addition to saponins (methanol extract), lignan matairesinol (chloroform extract), and β-sitosterol, unsaturated fatty acids as well as phospholipids (n-hexane extract). The results illustrated that soy extracts can be considered as alternative anti-mutagenic nutraceuticals and promising source for developing anti-mutagenic drugs.     

Preparation of antibodies and development of an enzyme immunoassay for determination of atrazine in environmental samples

An indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been developed and optimized for atrazine determination in soil at different depths (0-10, 10-20, and 20-30 cm) before and after 48 h of application, corn shoot and cow milk samples collected from Dina farm, Egypt. This assay was based on a specific polyclonal antibodies (PAb) raised by immunizing New Zealand rabbits with an immunogen prepared by coupling 3-{4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropylamino)-1,3,5-triazine-2-yl} thiopropanoic acid to bovine serum albumin (BSA) via N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) active ester method. The sensitivity (estimated as IC?? value) was 17.5 μg mL?1 with a detection limit of 0.1 ng mL?1. The maximum atrazine concentration was found in soil especially in the deepest layer (325 and 890 μg kg?1 before and after application, respectively). Atrazine concentration in corn shoot was 333.28, μg kg?1 dry plant, while there was no detectable amount in milk. All samples screened by ELISA were validated by gas chromatography mass spectrometer procedure (GC/MS). Good correlation was achieved between the two methods (r = 0.997 for soil and 0.9814 for plant). This study demonstrates the utility and convenience of the simple, practical and cost-effective ELISA method in the laboratory for analysis of environmental samples. The method is ideal for the rapid screening of large numbers of samples in laboratories where access to GC/MS facilities, is limited or lacking.     

Adsorption and thermodynamic parameters of chlorantraniliprole and dinotefuran on clay loam soil with difference in particle size and pH

The behavior of chlorantraniliprole (CAP) and dinotefuran (DNF) insecticides was investigated in clay loam soil, a common type of the Egyptian soil. Effect of temperature, pH and particle size of the soil on the adsorption process was studied. Adsorption isotherm by bulk soil and its constituents; humic acid (HA), clay, silt and sand fractions was measured using batch equilibration technique. The results showed that the adsorption of the insecticides tested was significantly affected by the temperature and was a spontaneous interfacial process in the soil. Freundlich model accurately predicted the adsorption behavior of both insecticides. The interaction between soil and insecticides was endothermic and the highest adsorption for CAP and DNF was obtained at pH 9. However, the effect of pH on the adsorption of DNF was lower than that of CAP. Sorption of CAP and DNF on HA fraction was significantly greater than on clay fraction and bulk soil. In addition, the adsorption was significantly increased with particle size decrease. It could be inferred that the adsorption of CAP and DNF on clay loam soil was physical in nature and greatly influenced by the soil components, pH and temperature.     

Develop dynamic model for predicting traffic CO emissions in urban areas

The greater the use of energy in the transportation sectors, the higher the emission of carbon monoxide (CO), and hence inevitable harm to environment and human health. In this concern, measuring and predicting of CO emission from transportation sector—especially large cities—is important as it constitute 90 % of all CO emission. Many urban cities in developing world have not properly experienced such measurements or predictions. In this paper, for the first time, field measurements of traffic characteristics data and corresponding CO concentration have been performed for developing a model for predicting CO emissions from transportation sector for New Borg El Arab (NBC), Egypt. The performance of Swiss-German Handbook Emission Factors for Road Transport (HBEFA v3.1) model has been assessed for predicting the CO concentration at roadside in the study area. Results indicated that HBEFA v3.1 underestimate emission figures. The developed CO dynamic emission model involves the traffic flow characteristics with roadside CO concentrations. Acceptable representation of measured CO concentration has been shown by the developed dynamic CO emission model which introduces R ²?=?0.77, mean biases and frictional biases of ?0.27 mg m^?3 and 0.09, respectively. A comparison between predicted CO concentrations using HBEFA v3.1 and the promoted dynamic model indicate that HBEFA v3.1 estimates CO emission concentrations in the study area with a mean error and frictional biases 159.26 and 233.33 %, respectively, higher than those of the developed model.     

Cytogenetic EffectsOf Hydrogen Fluoride TreatmentIn Tomato Plants

Seeds from tomato plants fumigated with hydrogen fluoride gas at a concentration of about 3 Mg/cu m were planted in pots in the greenhouse. A number of plants in each culture were found to be developing abnormally. These abnormalities consisted of one, three, or four cotyledons; deformed cotyledons; plumuless seedlings; fasciated petioles; wiry seedlings, double stalked plants; and dwarf seedlings. Such abnormal phenotypes were the same as, or similar to, known mutants. There was a trend toward a higher percentage of total phenotypic abnormalities with an increase in the treatment duration. Meiotic analyses of the Q. generation (offspring of the fumigated plants, Q) showed the occurrence of fragments or bridges plus fragments. There was also a trend toward a higher percentage of chromosomal aberrations with an increase in the treatment duration except for the 4 days duration which was higher than most of the other treatments. It is believed that the occurrence of these aberrations was due to crossing over in heterozygous paracentric inversions. These results suggest that HF is a mutagenic agent probably blocking directly or indirectly the replication of the DNA.     

Modified Sugarcane Bagasse with Tartaric Acid for Removal of Diazonium Blue from Aqueous Solutions

The present study concerns with exploring the possibility of using of tartaric acid pretreated sugarcane bagasse (SCB) for removing diazonium blue (DB) from aqueous solutions. The effect of different factors on the efficiency of the adsorbent for the DB dye removal was investigated, including initial dye concentration, contact time, SCB dosage and SCB particle size. Langmuir, Freundlich, Tempkin and D–R isothermal models have been employed to analyze the adsorption equilibrium data. It was found that the adsorption of the dye fits well with the D–R model. The adsorption kinetics was also done applying four kinetic models. The regression equation coefficients refer to fitting the data to the second-order kinetic equation for removal of the DB dye. It is probable that the rate limiting step is a chemical adsorption between the adsorbent and the dye. This chemisorption process is further confirmed from the energy value of 15.1 kJ mol^?1 deduced from the D–R isotherm.     

Preparation of antibodies and development of an enzyme immunoassay for determination of atrazine in environmental samples

An indirect competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been developed and optimized for atrazine determination in soil at different depths (0–10, 10–20, and 20–30 cm) before and after 48 h of application, corn shoot and cow milk samples collected from Dina farm, Egypt. This assay was based on a specific polyclonal antibodies (PAb) raised by immunizing New Zealand rabbits with an immunogen prepared by coupling 3-{4-(ethylamino)-6-(isopropylamino)-1,3,5-triazine-2-yl} thiopropanoic acid to bovine serum albumin (BSA) via N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) active ester method. The sensitivity (estimated as IC₅₀value) was 17.5 μg mL^?1 with a detection limit of 0.1 ng mL^?1. The maximum atrazine concentration was found in soil especially in the deepest layer (325 and 890 μg kg^?1 before and after application, respectively). Atrazine concentration in corn shoot was 333.28, μg kg^?1 dry plant, while there was no detectable amount in milk. All samples screened by ELISA were validated by gas chromatography mass spectrometer procedure (GC/MS). Good correlation was achieved between the two methods (r = 0.997 for soil and 0.9814 for plant). This study demonstrates the utility and convenience of the simple, practical and cost–effective ELISA method in the laboratory for analysis of environmental samples. The method is ideal for the rapid screening of large numbers of samples in laboratories where access to GC/MS facilities, is limited or lacking.