Information system for monitoring environmental impacts of genetically modified organisms

Background, aim and scope  

European legislation stipulates that genetically modified organisms (GMO) have to be monitored to identify potential adverse environmental effects. A wealth of different types of monitoring data from various sources including existing environmental monitoring programmes is expected to accumulate. This requires an information system to efficiently structure, process and evaluate the monitoring data.     

Development of Thixotropic Coatings Using Dimerized Soybean Oil Fatty Acids: The Case of Polyamide of 1,2-Phenylene Diamine

Soybean oil (SBO) was dimerized and the crude dimer acid product reacted with 1,2-phenylene diamine at 210 ± 5 °C under inert atmosphere to obtain fatty polyamide (FPA). The FPA was used to modify a commercial alkyd resin by reacting a mixture of the alkyd resin with 5 wt% of FPA at 120 °C for 80 min under inert atmosphere. The FTIR spectrum of the FPA modified resin showed evidence of higher degree of H-bonding than was found for the unmodified alkyd. White gloss coatings of 15, 20, 25, and 30% solids were formulated from the modified and unmodified resins and examined for performance with respect to: leveling, sag resistance, drying time, pigment settling, skinning tendency and film hardness. Results showed that the unmodified alkyd coatings exhibited good leveling but poor sag resistance at all solid contents. In contrast, FPA modified alkyd coatings combined good leveling with high sag resistance indicating their thixotropic nature. A strong tendency to pigment settling was observed for unmodified alkyd coatings but was not observed in the FPA modified alkyd coatings. The modified alkyd coatings showed skinning while the unmodified alkyd coatings did not skin. A 30% solids coating formulation of the FPA modified resin showed shorter surface dry time but longer hard dry time than the unmodified alkyd resin coating.     

Block Copolymers Containing (R)-3-Hydroxybutyrate and Isosorbide Succinate or (S)-Lactic Acid Mers

A new aliphatic block copolyester was synthesized in bulk from transesterification techniques between poly((R)-3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and poly(isosorbide succinate) (PIS). Additionally, other two block copolyesters were synthesized in bulk either from transesterification reactions involving PHB and poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) or from ring-opening copolymerization of l-lactide and hydroxyl-terminated PHB, as result of a previous transesterification reactions with isosorbide. Two-component blends of PHB and PIS or PLLA were also prepared as comparative systems. SEC, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS), ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, WAXD, solubility tests, and TG thermal analysis were used for characterization. The block copolymer structures of the products were evidenced by MALDI-TOFMS, ¹³C NMR, and WAXD data. The block copolymers and the corresponding binary blends presented different solubility properties, as revealed by solubility tests. Although the incorporation of PIS sequences into PHB main backbone did not enhance the thermal stability of the product, it reduced its crystallinity, which could be advantageous for faster biodegradation rate. These products, composed of PHB and PIS or PLLA sequences, are an interesting alternative in biomedical applications.     

Purification and Properties of Extracellular Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) Depolymerase Produced by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Aspergillus fumigatus</Emphasis> 202

An extracellular poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) depolymerase produced by a thermotolerant fungal soil isolate, Aspergillus fumigatus 202, was purified and characterized. Maximum PHB depolymerase production was obtained at the end of 48 h with initial medium pH 7.0 and 45 °C in Bushnell Haas Minerals medium containing PHB as sole source of carbon. The PHB depolymerase was purified using size exclusion chromatography to a fold purification of 20.62 and 61.62% yield. SDS-PAGE and isoelectric focusing revealed the molecular weight and pI of the purified enzyme as 63,744 Da and 4.2, respectively. N-terminal amino acid sequence of purified enzyme was HAXDAYLVK. This non-glycosylated enzyme was most active at pH 9.0 and 45 °C. Purified enzyme was inactivated by N-bromosuccinimide and dithiothreitol suggesting the involvement of tryptophan residues and disulfide bonds at its active site. Nonionic detergents like Tween 20, Tween 80 and Triton X-100 inhibited the enzyme activity. Ions like Ca⁺² and Mg⁺² (5 mM) increased the enzyme activity 1.5 times. Fe⁺² effectively inhibited the enzyme activity to 88% whereas Hg⁺² completely inhibited the enzyme.     

废旧冰箱拆解及聚氨酯泡沫放置的一氟三氯甲烷释放量研究

研究了废旧冰箱聚氨酯(PUR)泡沫中所含的一氟三氯甲烷(CFC-11)总量,并对冰箱箱体切割过程、金属板剥离过程和PUR泡沫破碎后常温放置时的CFC-11释放量进行了测定。结果表明,PUR泡沫所含CFC-11总量占PUR泡沫质量的20.06%;箱体切割和金属板剥离过程中的CFC-11释放量分别占PUR泡沫中CFC-11总量的0.75%和2.32%;常温放置到第15天时,0.5、1.0、4.0、8.0 mm 4种粒径PUR泡沫颗粒的CFC-11累计释放量分别占PUR泡沫所含CFC-11总量的4.75%、5.25%、5.42%、6.50%,均高于箱体切割、金属板剥离过程中的CFC-11释放量。     

Effects of acetaminophen in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Brassica juncea</Emphasis> L. Czern.: investigation of uptake,translocation, detoxification,and the induced defense pathways

Purpose  

Besides classical organic pollutants and pesticides, pharmaceuticals and their residues have nowadays become recognized as relevant environmental contaminants. The risks of these chemicals for aquatic ecosystems are well known, but information about the pharmaca-plant interactions and metabolic pathways is scarce. Therefore, we investigate the process of uptake of acetaminophen (N-Acetyl-4-aminophenol) by Brassica juncea, drug-induced defense responses and detoxification mechanisms in different plant parts.     

How life history contributes to stress response in the Manila clam <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ruditapes philippinarum</Emphasis>

Introduction  

Within the last decade, numerous studies have investigated the role of environmental history on tolerance to stress of many organisms. This study aims to assess if Manila clams Ruditapes philippinarum may react differently to cadmium exposure and trematode parasite infection (Himasthla elongata) depending on their origin and environmental history in Arcachon Bay (France).     

水解酸化-A2O污泥减量工艺的运行性能研究

生物处理单元采用水解酸化、多级串联接触曝气、连续流的除磷脱氮A2／O工艺,并辅以外排厌氧富磷污水侧流除磷,开发了一个新型的具有强化除磷脱氮功能的污泥减量HA—A／A—MCO工艺。用该工艺处理校园生活污水发现,在SRT60d、进水COD316～407mg／L、NH4＋-N30～40mg／L、TN35～53mg／L、TP8—12mg／L的条件下,出水COD≤18mg／L、NH4＋-N≤2．1mg／L、TN≤10．3mg／L、TP≤0．44mg／L。研究还发现,水解酸化池处理产生的VFA能有效促进生物除磷脱氮,导致厌氧释磷量达57mg／L,进入化学除磷池的侧流液量仅相当于进水量的13％;系统最主要的脱氮形式是SND和缺氧反硝化,SND脱氮占脱氮总量的50％,缺氧反硝化占26％;HA-A／A—MCO系统有效实现了生物相分离,并利用生物捕食作用获得较低的污泥产率,0．1gMLSS／gCOD。     

小型燃油锅炉NOx的排放特征与管理控制

以68台燃油锅炉（≤10～MW）NOx排放实测数据为基础,通过统计分析方法,研究了NOx的排放特征;通过对比分析,探讨了我国燃油锅炉NOx排放控制与管理现状,讨论了进一步加强我国燃油锅炉NOx排放管理控制的可能性与可行性,并提出了相应的管理控制建议。结果表明,NOx平均排放浓度为318．2mg／m^3,基于燃料消耗量的平均排放因子为4．4kg／t,基于燃料发热量的平均排放因子为102．8ng／J,基于燃料氮含量的平均排放因子为2．1mg／mg;建议采取分阶段控制的方式,逐步提高NOx排放限制,从而实现控源减排目标。