The subcellular distribution of technetium was studied using the seastar Marthasterias glacialis which had previously ingested prey labelled with 95mTc either as pertechnetate (VII) or in the reduced state (IV). The majority of the Tc [98% (IV) and 96% (VII)] was taken up and retained in the pyloric caeca, the gland responsible for digestive and food storage processes. Differential centrifugation and separation techniques have demonstrated that, at the subcellular level, technetium in the pyloric caeca was largely associated with the lysosomes. 95mTc (IV) was distributed between the lysosomes and the soluble fraction to roughly the same degree, whereas pertechnetate was more strongly associated with the lysosomal fraction. Chromatography of the cytosol by gel filtration indicated the presence of two distinct protein compounds which were responsible for binding virtually all of the technetium in the soluble fraction. Technetium had a greater relative affinity for the low molecular weight compound, more so for Tc (VII) than for Tc (IV). This anionic protein had an apparent molecular weight of approximately 10 000, and thus may play a role in metal detoxification mechanisms at the cellular level. 相似文献
Bacterial and meiofaunal abundance and biomass and their response to the disturbance induced by fish-farm biodeposition were investigated from March to October 1997 on a monthly basis at two stations of the Gaeta Gulf (Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean Sea). The biopolymeric fraction of the organic matter was characterized by high concentrations which was similar at both fish-farming-impacted and control stations. Similarly, bacteria accounted for a small fraction of the biopolymeric organic carbon (< 1%), while the contribution due to auto-fluorescent cell biomass (i.e. prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells displaying auto-fluorescence) to the total biopolymeric carbon was quantitatively negligible (< 0.1%). Benthic bacteria appear to be sensitive to organic enrichment as their abundance increased significantly beneath the cage, whilst numbers of meiofauna was lower than in the control. Changes occurred also in terms of individual nematode biomass that increased as result of the biodeposition. A particularly useful tool appeared to be represented by the ratio of benthic auto-fluorescent cells to bacterial abundance, bacteria to meiofaunal biomass and auto-fluorescent cells to meiofauna biomass. All these parameters described well the impact due to biodeposition on the benthic environment as their ratios displayed significantly higher values in farm sediments, but recovered rapidly (15 days) to values observed in the control (i.e. undisturbed conditions) immediately after cage removal. Changes observed in the present study highlight that the increased organic loading determined a shift of the relative contribution of the different benthic components to the total biopolymeric carbon, so that in highly impacted systems total benthic biomass becomes increasingly dominated by microbial components. 相似文献
Despite the pivotal role human factors (anthropogenic drivers) are presumed to play in global environmental change, substantial uncertainties and contradictory conclusions about them continue. We attempt to further discipline the human factors issue by estimating the effects of two anthropogenic drivers, population and affluence, on a wide variety of global environmental impacts, including greenhouse gas emissions, emissions of ozone depleting substances, and the ecological footprint. Population proportionately increases all types of impacts examined. Affluence typically increases impacts, but the specific effect depends on the type of impact. These findings refocus attention on population and material affluence as principal threats to sustainability and challenge predictions of an ameliorating effect of rising affluence on impacts. 相似文献
Many oil industry related sites have become contaminated due to the activities characteristic of this industry, such as oil exploration and production, refining, and petro-chemistry. In Mexico, reported hydrocarbon spills for the year 2000 amounted to 185 203, equivalent to 6252 tons (PEMEX, 2000). The first step for the remediation of these polluted sites is to assess the size and intensity of the oil contamination affecting the subsoil and groundwater, followed by a health risk assessment to establish clean up levels. The aim of this work was to characterize the soil and water in a north-central Mexico Oil Storage and Distribution Station (ODSS), in terms of TPHs, gasoline and diesel fractions, BTEX, PAHs, MTBE, and some metals. Besides, measurements of the explosivity index along the ODSS were made and we describe and discuss the risk health assessment analysis performed at the ODSS, as well as the recommendations arising from it. Considering soils with TPH concentrations higher than 2000 mg kg−1, the contaminated areas corresponding to the railway zone is about 12 776.5 m2, to the south of the storage tanks is about 6558 m2, and to the south of the filling tanks is about 783 m2. Total area to be treated is about 20 107 m2 (volume of 20 107 m3), considering 1 m depth. 相似文献
Here we demonstrate that an aqueous solution of the herbicide amitrole can be completely depolluted at pH 3.0 by anodic oxidation and electro-Fenton process. Anodic oxidation gives faster degradation with a boron-doped diamond anode than with a Pt anode. Electro-Fenton with a Pt anode and 1 mmol l –1 Fe2+ as catalyst yields the quickest depollution. Amitrole decay always follows a pseudo first-order reaction. NO3– and NH4+ are accumulated in the medium during mineralization, although volatile N-products are also formed. These environmentally friendly electrochemical treatments could be applied to the remediation of wastewaters containing amitrole. 相似文献
Sperm competition selects for opposing male defensive and offensive reproductive traits, and its outcome may be determined
by the effectiveness to which one trait has evolved to out-compete the other. We tested the effectiveness of a first male
plug physical interference with a second male insemination (defence) vs the effectiveness of plug and associated sperm displacement
by a second male (offence) on the outcome of sperm competition in Iberian rock lizards. We conducted a double mating experiment
where we compared the proportion of eggs per clutch fertilised by the same second males (against the same first males) when
they copulated with females 30 min (first male plug adhered firmly inside the female cloaca) and 4 h (first male plug loosely
adhered or shed from the female cloaca) after first males. We found that second males fertilised the majority of the eggs
per clutch in the 30-min treatment, whereas fertilisations were equally shared between the two males in the 4-h treatment.
These results show that plugs have little defensive effectiveness, and thus, do not assure high first male fertilisation success.
Instead, sperm displacement appears to be associated with plug displacement. That is, because sperm embedded in first male
plugs, and displaced from competition for fertilisations by second males, is expected to increase in number with decreasing
time allowed for female sperm transport, second males thus enjoy higher fertilisation success. This study shows that offensive
plug displacement out-competes plug defensive role in Iberian rock lizards. Moreover, it reveals sperm displacement as a novel
sperm competition mechanism in reptiles. 相似文献
This article synthesises the results obtained in several projects on atmospheric aerosol (particulate matter – PM) pollution
developed during the last years in the Western Mediterranean. It focuses on particulate matter sources and the strategies
for suitable monitoring in ambient air. The article has been structured in several sections that give response to the main
questions that prompted these studies. After analysing the main PM features in the Mediterranean, a brief review of the main
factors differentiating the particulate matter composition with respect to Central Europe is presented. Finally, the suitability
of the different metrics or parameters for monitoring ambient air PM levels in different types of environments is discussed.
Selected article from the 6th European Meeting on Environmental Chemistry, University of Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro organized
by Prof. Dr. Branimir Jovancicevic (www.research.plymouth.ac.uk/ace). 相似文献
The Gil-Márquez Complex is an exceptional outcrop of plutonic rocks ranging in composition from diorites to granites emplaced into Devonian terrigenous metasediments of the southernmost part of the Hercynian basement of Iberia. A combined study of this complex, including field geology, petrology, structural geology and geochemistry, reveals that it represents an ancient conduit of magma transport through the continental crust. This conduit allowed the intrusion of magmas of contrasted compositions. Two end-members and several hybrids are identified. The first end-member is a biotite granite and the second is a basaltic magma generated by partial melting of a depleted-mantle source. Both magmas rose through a common channel in which favorable conditions for unstable flow and magma mixing occurred. The observed relations in the Gil-Márquez Complex show that mixing in conduits may be an important mechanism for producing homogeneous hybrid magmas. 相似文献
Objective: This study aimed to investigate the social and hospital costs of patients treated at a public hospital who were motorcycle crash victims.
Method: This prospective study was on 68 motorcycle riders (drivers or passengers), who were followed up from hospital admission to 6 months after the crash. A questionnaire covering quantitative and qualitative questions was administered.
Results: Motorcycle crash victims were responsible for 12% of the institution's hospital admissions; 54.4% were young (18–28 years of age); 92.6% were the drivers; 91.2% were male; and 50% used their motorcycles as daily means of transportation. Six months afterward, 94.1% needed help from someone; 83.8% had changed their family dynamics; and 73.5% had not returned to their professional activities. Among the injuries, 94.7% had some type of fracture, of which 53.5% were exposed fractures; 35.3% presented temporary sequelae; and 32.4% presented permanent sequelae. They used the surgical center 2.53 times on average, with a mean hospital stay of 18 days. The per capita hospital cost of these victims’ treatment was US$17,481.50.
Conclusion: The social and hospital costs were high, relative to the characteristics of a public institution. Temporary or permanent disability caused changes to family dynamics, as shown by the high numbers of patients who were still away from their professional activities more than 6 months afterward. 相似文献