Vivianite precipitation and phosphate sorption following iron reduction in anoxic soils

Phosphorus retention in lowland soils depends on redox conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate how the Fe(III) reduction degree affects phosphate adsorption and precipitation. Two similarly P-saturated, ferric Fe-rich lowland soils, a sandy and a peat soil, were incubated under anaerobic conditions. M?ssbauer spectroscopy demonstrated that Fe(III) in the sandy soil was present as goethite and phyllosilicates, whereas Fe(III) in the peat soil was mainly present as polynuclear, Fe-humic complexes. Following anoxic incubation, extensive formation of Fe(II) in the solids occurred. After 100 d, the Fe(II) production reached its maximum and 34% of the citrate-bicarbonate-dithionite extractable Fe (Fe(CBD)) was reduced to Fe(II) in the sandy soil. The peat soil showed a much faster reduction of Fe(III) and the maximum reduction of 89% of Fe(CBD) was reached after 200 d. Neoformation of a metavivianite/vivianite phase under anoxic conditions was identified by X-ray diffraction in the peat. The sandy soil exhibited small changes in the point of zero net sorption (EPC?) and P(i) desorption with increasing Fe(III) reduction, whereas in the peat soil P desorption increased from 80 to 3100 μmol kg?1 and EPC? increased from 1.7 to 83 μM, after 322 d of anoxic incubation. The fast Fe(III) reduction made the peat soils particularly vulnerable to changes in redox conditions. However, the precipitation of vivianite/metavivianite minerals may control soluble P(i) concentrations to between 2 and 3 μM in the long term if the soil is not disturbed.     

Transport and retention of Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts in sandy soils

A series of miscible-displacement experiments was conducted to examine the retention and transport behavior of oocysts in natural porous media. Three soils and a model sand were used that differed in physical and geochemical properties. Transport behavior was examined under various treatment conditions to help evaluate retention mechanisms. Significant retention of oocysts was observed for all media despite the fact that conditions were unfavorable for physicochemical interactions with respect to DLVO theory. The magnitude of retention was not influenced significantly by alterations in solution chemistry (reduction in ionic strength) or soil surface properties (removal of soil organic matter and metal oxides). On the basis of the observed results, it appears that retention by secondary energy minima or geochemical microdomains was minimal for these systems. The porous media used for the experiments exhibited large magnitudes of surface roughness, and it is suggested that this surface roughness contributed significantly to oocyst retention.     

Genetic engineering of cyanobacteria to enhance biohydrogen production from sunlight and water

To mitigate global warming caused by burning fossil fuels, a renewable energy source available in large quantity is urgently required. We are proposing large-scale photobiological H(2) production by mariculture-raised cyanobacteria where the microbes capture part of the huge amount of solar energy received on earth's surface and use water as the source of electrons to reduce protons. The H(2) production system is based on photosynthetic and nitrogenase activities of cyanobacteria, using uptake hydrogenase mutants that can accumulate H(2) for extended periods even in the presence of evolved O(2). This review summarizes our efforts to improve the rate of photobiological H(2) production through genetic engineering. The challenges yet to be overcome to further increase the conversion efficiency of solar energy to H(2) also are discussed.     

New methodological improvements in the Microtox® solid phase assay

The classic Microtox® solid phase assay (MSPA) based on the inhibition of light production of the marine bacteria recently renamed Aliivibrio fischeri suffers from various bias and interferences, mainly due to physico-chemical characteristics of the tested solid phase. To precisely assess ecotoxicity of sediments, we have developed an alternative method, named Microtox® leachate phase assay (MLPA), in order to measure the action of dissolved pollutants in the aqueous phase. Two hypotheses were formulated to explain the observed difference between MSPA and MLPA results: a real ecotoxicity of the solid phase or the fixation of bacteria to fine particles and/or organic matter. To estimate the latter, flow cytometry analyses were performed with two fluorochromes (known for their ability to stain bacterial DNA), allowing correction of MSPA measurements and generation of new (corrected) IC50. Comparison of results of MLPA with the new IC50 MSPA allows differentiating real ecotoxic and fixation effect in classic MSPA especially for samples with high amount of fines and/or organic matter.     

Enhanced resistance of yeast mutants deficient in low-affinity iron and zinc transporters to stannous-induced toxicity

Tin or stannous (Sn²⁺) compounds are used as catalysts, stabilizers in plastic industries, wood preservatives, agricultural biocides and nuclear medicine. In order to verify the Sn²⁺ up-take and toxicity in yeast cells we utilized a multi-elemental analysis known as particle-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) along with cell survival assays and quantitative real-time PCR. The detection of Sn²⁺ by PIXE was possible only in yeast cells in stationary phase of growth (STAT cells) that survive at 25 mM Sn²⁺ concentration. Yeast cells in exponential phase of growth (LOG cells) tolerate only micro-molar Sn²⁺ concentrations that result in intracellular concentration below of the method detection limit. Our PIXE analysis showed that STAT XV185-14c yeast cells demonstrate a significant loss of intracellular elements such as Mg, Zn, S, Fe and an increase in P levels after 1 h exposure to SnCl₂. The survival assay showed enhanced tolerance of LOG yeast cells lacking the low-affinity iron and zinc transporters to stannous treatment, suggesting the possible involvement in Sn²⁺ uptake. Moreover, our qRT-PCR data showed that Sn²⁺ treatment could generate reactive oxygen species as it induces activation of many stress-response genes, including SOD1, YAP1, and APN1.     

Phenol and nitrophenols in the air and dew waters of Santiago de Chile

Phenol, nitrophenols and dinitrophenols were measured in air and dews in downtown Santiago de Chile. In both systems, phenol, 2-nitrophenol (2-NP), and 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) were the compounds found in higher concentrations and with major frequency. Temporal profiles in air were compatible with a significant direct incorporation from mobile sources. The data can be explained in terms of a faster removal of 2-NP than 4-NP, with the former predominating in fresh air masses and 4-NP in more aged samples. All these compounds, as well as dinitrophenols, were found in dew waters. Simultaneous measurements in air and dew indicate that phenol present in dew exceeds that expected in equilibrated samples, while the opposite occurs with 4-NP. This last result is associated to mass transfer limitations for the highly water soluble nitroderivative.