Cadmium stress alters gene expression of DNA mismatch repair related genes in Arabidopsis seedlings

Cadmium (Cd) is a non essential element, and is a widespread environmental pollutant. Exposure to Cd can result in a variety of adverse health effects in plant and humans. In the current study, Arabidopsis seedlings were used as a bio-indicator of Cd pollution. Seedlings were grown on MS media containing 0-6.0 mg L(-1) Cd for 18 days, and the gene expression patterns were used to link increased Cd exposure with progressive biological effects. Reduction of total soluble protein content in shoots of the Arabidopsis seedlings occurred with increase in Cd concentrations. For the gene expression patterns, seven genes known to be involved in cell division and DNA mismatch repair (MMR) system were investigated by semi-quantitative RT-PCR, and normalized using 18S rRNA gene expression. Expression of the proliferating cell nuclear antigen 2 (atPCNA 2), MutS 3 homolog (atMSH 3) and MutL1 homolog (atMLH1) genes in shoots of Arabidopsis was strongly induced by exposure to 0.75 mg L(-1) Cd, but were repressed by other Cd concentrations whereas exposure to 0.75-6 mg L(-1) of Cd resulted in a decreased expression of atPCNA1, atMSH 2, 6 and 7 genes independently of any observable biological effects, including survival, fresh weight and chlorophyll level of shoots. This work demonstrated that specific gene expression changes could serve as useful molecular biomarkers indicative of Cd exposure and related biological effects.     

Mixing-controlled biodegradation in a toluene plume--results from two-dimensional laboratory experiments

Various abiotic and biotic processes such as sorption, dilution, and degradation are known to affect the fate of organic contaminants, such as petroleum hydrocarbons in saturated porous media. Reactive transport modeling of such plumes indicates that the biodegradation of organic pollutants is, in many cases, controlled by mixing and therefore occurs locally at the plume's fringes, where electron donors and electron-acceptors mix. Herein, we aim to test whether this hypothesis can be verified by experimental results obtained from aerobic and anaerobic degradation experiments in two-dimensional sediment microcosms. Toluene was selected as a model compound for oxidizable contaminants. The two-dimensional microcosm was filled with quartz sand and operated under controlled flow conditions simulating a contaminant plume in otherwise uncontaminated groundwater. Aerobic degradation of toluene by Pseudomonas putida mt-2 reduced a continuous 8.7 mg L(-1) toluene concentration by 35% over a transport distance of 78 cm in 15.5 h. In comparison, under similar conditions Aromatoleum aromaticum strain EbN1 degraded 98% of the toluene infiltrated using nitrate (68.5+/-6.2 mg L(-1)) as electron acceptor. A major part of the biodegradation activity was located at the plume fringes and the slope of the electron-acceptor gradient was steeper during periods of active biodegradation. The distribution of toluene and the significant overlap of nitrate at the plume's fringe indicate that biokinetic and/or microscale transport processes may constitute additional limiting factors. Experimental data is corroborated with results from a reactive transport model using double Monod kinetics. The outcome of the study shows that in order to simulate degradation in contaminant plumes, detailed data sets are required to test the applicability of models. These will have to deal with the incorporation of existing parameters coding for substrate conversion kinetics and microbial growth.     

Laboratory longitudinal diffusion tests: 2. Parameter estimation by inverse analysis

This study focuses on the verification of test interpretations for different state analyses of diffusion experiments. Part 1 of this study identified that steady, quasi-steady and equilibrium state analyses for the through- and in-diffusion tests with solution reservoirs are generally feasible where the tracer is not highly sorptive. In Part 2 we investigate parameter identifiability in transient-state analysis of reservoir concentration variation using a numerical approach. For increased generality, the analytical models, objective functions and Jacobian matrix necessary for inverse analysis of transient-state data are reformulated using unified dimensionless parameters. In these dimensionless forms, the number of unknown parameters is reduced and a single dimensionless parameter represents the sorption property. The dimensionless objective functions are evaluated for individual test methods and parameter identifiability is discussed in relation to the sorption property. The effects of multiple minima and measurement error on parameter identifiability are also investigated. The main findings are that inverse problems for inlet and outlet reservoir concentration analyses are generally unstable and well-posed, respectively. Where the tracer is sorptive, the inverse problem for the inlet reservoir concentration analysis may have multiple minima. When insufficient measurement data is collected, multiple solutions may result and this should be taken into consideration when inversely analyzing data including that of inlet reservoir concentration. Verification of test interpretation by cross-checking different state analyses is feasible where the tracer is not highly sorptive. In an actual experiment, test interpretation validity is demonstrated through consistency between theory and practice for different state analyses.     

污水厂污泥一体化竖式强化渗滤浓缩自然干化与消化研究

针对目前国内污泥处理处置存在的问题,为实现污泥浓缩消化一体化,开发了污泥一体化强化渗滤浓缩自然干化与消化新工艺反应器,并进行了城市水厂污泥处理试验.结果表明,在有机负荷为0.8 kg VSS/(m3·d)、平均水力停留时间为8.3 d、污泥停留时间为120 d的条件下,污泥有机物去除率可达到44.4%,排泥含水率达到79.1%,污泥消化与浓缩过程起到了相互促进的作用.渗滤液须抽回至污水处理厂处理.     

山梨酸废水在ABR中的基质降解行为

稳态条件下,采用厌氧折流板反应器(anaerobic baffled reactor,ABR)处理山梨酸废水并进行基质降解动力学研究.实验表明,在污泥负荷为0.54～1.63 kg COD/(kg VSS·d)的范围内,COD去除率随着负荷的增加从85%降到55%.各隔室出水COD沿程递减,前3个隔室承担了去除COD的重要作用,但随着污泥负荷的增加,后部承担的COD去除率比例增大.基于各串联隔室完全混合的假定,推导ABR中山梨酸废水的基质降解动力学方程,并通过实验确定相关动力学参数及相应的动力学方程.实测值与预测值基本吻合.     

应用陶粒过滤-陶瓷膜组合对止咳糖浆制药废水深度处理的试验研究

止咳精浆制药废水经生物接触氧化一体化废水处理装置处理后,其出水中COD、BOD和氨氮等主要污染物质均不能达标排放.在实验室中采用陶粒过滤-陶瓷膜组合对经一体化处理装置处理后的制药废水进行深度处理,在陶粒柱反应器选用粒径为1～2 mm的陶粒滤料,陶瓷膜反应器选用孔径为2～3/μm陶瓷膜的条件下对水样进行测试.废水经陶粒过滤-陶瓷膜组合处理后,其BOD、COD、SS和氨氮指标均可稳定达标排放.     

苯胺降解菌的分离和降解特性研究

通过驯化富集培养,从白洋淀底泥中分离筛选出数株能够有效降解苯胺的菌株,经过反复筛选,得到一株能够以苯胺为唯一碳源、高效降解苯胺的菌株BA-1-3.其利用苯胺的最适pH值为7.0,最适温度为30℃,在苯胺浓度为1000 mg/L,180 r/min条件下振荡培养60 h,降解率达到80%以上.经鉴定,菌株BA-1-3属苍白杆菌属(Ochrobactrumsp.).     

西安市地面沉降成因机理中的若干问题探讨

针对西安市区的地质环境和地面沉降特征,总结国内外与此相关的研究成果,重点从土层渗流与变形特性、地面沉降和地裂缝的关系、下部地层压密与地面变形关系以及开采地热资源对地面沉降的影响等几个方面分析西安市区地面沉降研究的现状及存在的问题,并针对这些问题提出了几点建议.     

基于响应绩效的重大事故应急预案编制技术研究

重大事故应急预案是保证企业应急救援工作快速、高效地开展的关键。应急预案的响应绩效是预案对于预防事故发生和控制事故恶化的实际效果,基于响应绩效的重大事故应急预案编制方法就是将绩效作为核心的思想融入编制的各环节。围绕预案的编制原则、文件要素和编制流程对方法进行介绍,并进一步详细阐述了基于响应绩效的预案编制要点,从而保证预案的完整性、逻辑性、可操作性和指导性四方面的响应绩效要求。