Chemical aspects of mass spawning in corals. I. Sperm-attractant molecules in the eggs of the scleractinian coral Montipora digitata

This paper provides the first evidence for sperm chemotaxis in the Scleractinia. Montipora digitata Dana, 1845 (Scleractinia: Coelenterata) is a hermaphroditic coral which reproduces bi-annually, releasing egg-sperm bundles during the mass spawning at Magnetic Island (19°10S; 146°52E) in late spring-early summer, and autumn each year. The buoyant egg-sperm bundles float to the surface where they break apart, releasing eggs and sperm into the ocean. Fertilisation occurs after 30 min. Unfertilized eggs were collected, washed free of sperm, and freeze-dried. The eggs were extracted with dichloromethane, fractionated by chromatography on silica gel, and the fractions assayed for their ability to attract M. digitata sperm. The active fraction was further fractionated by high-performance liquid chromatography, resulting in the isolation of three highly unsaturated fatty alcohols: (1) dodeca-2,4-diynol; (2) tetradec-13-ene-2,4-diynol; (3) (14Z)-heptadeca-14,16-diene-2,4-diynol. Of these three compounds, only Compound 1 attracted sperm of M. digitata. Synthetic Compound 1, produced from simple precursors by known reactions, possessed sperm-attracting activity comparable to the naturally derived attractant. Preliminary experiments suggest that the natural mixture of Compounds 1, 2 and 3 in the ratio 1:4:9 is more effective in attracting sperm from M. digitata than sperm from other Montipora species. Sperm attractants may act to reduce the incidence of hybridisation between different species of Montipora.     

Degradation of benzo[a]pyrene in soil with arbuscular mycorrhizal alfalfa

Mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal alfalfa (Medicago sativa) was grown in pots containing soil artificially contaminated with various levels of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) (0, 1, 10 and 100 mg kg(-1)). Soil and plants were sampled after 30, 40, 50, 60 and 90 days and compared with unlanted pots. The percentage of mycorrhizal root length colonized by Glomus caledoniun was not significantly affected by the addition of B[a]P up to 10 mg kg(-1) but was significantly lower at 100 mg kg(-1)B[a]P compared with low concentrations (p < 0.05). There was no difference in soil polyphenol oxidase and dehydrogenase activity among the controls and applications of 1 and 10 mg kg(-1) of B[a]P. However, enzyme activities were significantly higher at 100 mg kg(-1) B[a]P compared with the other three treatments, and there was no mycorrhizal effect. Over a period of 90 days the concentration of B[a]P in soil in which alfalfa was grown was significantly lower than in unplanted soil (p < 0.05). Degradation rates of B[a]P added at 1, 10 and 100 mg kg(-1) without G. caledonium were 76, 78 and 53%, and with mycorrhizal inoculation were 86, 87 and 57%. The degradation rate in unplanted soil was significantly lower than in planted soil, and was significantly higher in medium- and low-B[a]P treatments than in the high B[a]P concentration tested. There is a possibility of enhancement phytoremediation of PAHs in rhizosphere soil with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.     

Degradation of Benzo[a]Pyrene in Soil with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Alfalfa

Mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal alfalfa (Medicago sativa) was grown in pots containing soil artificially contaminated with various levels of benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P)(0, 1, 10 and 100 mg kg^–1). Soil and plants were sampled after 30, 40, 50, 60 and 90 days and compared with unlanted pots. The percentage of mycorrhizal root length colonized by Glomus caledoniun was not significantly affected by the addition of B[a]P up to 10 mg kg^–1 but was significantly lower at 100 mg kg^–1B[a]P compared with low concentrations (p < 0.05). There was no difference in soil polyphenol oxidase and dehydrogenase activity among the controls and applications of 1 and 10 mg kg^–1 of B[a]P. However, enzyme activities were significantly higher at 100 mg kg^–1B[a]P compared with the other three treatments, and there was no mycorrhizal effect. Over a period of 90 days the concentration of B[a]P in soil in which alfalfa was grown was significantly lower than in unplanted soil (p < 0.05). Degradation rates of B[a]P added at 1, 10 and 100 mg kg^–1 without G. caledonium were 76, 78 and 53%, and with mycorrhizal inoculation were 86, 87 and 57%. The degradation rate in unplanted soil was significantly lower than in planted soil, and was significantly higher in medium- and low-B[a]P treatments than in the high B[a]P concentration tested. There is a possibility of enhancement phytoremediation of PAHs in rhizosphere soil with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.     

Nitrogen and Phosphorus Cycling in Shrimp Ponds and the Measures for Sustainable Management

Six ponds of age 3 were selected 45 km north from Suzhou in the Tailake region, and research conducted on nitrogen and phosphorus cycling in P. vannanmei(Penaeus vannanme) ponds and M. nipponense(Macrobrachium nipponense) hatchery ponds under normal management. Two treatments each had three replications. The results confirmed that feed was the major path of nitrogen and phosphorus input, each accounted for 61.24%(193.81 kg ha^–1) and 81.08%(45.20 kg ha^–1) of the total nitrogen and phosphorus input for P. vannanme ponds; the values for M. nipponense ponds were 43.93%(86.31 kg ha^–1) and 57.67%(14.61 kg ha^–1), respectively. Water pumped into ponds contributed on average 83.57 kg ha^–1 nitrogen and 8.48 kg ha^–1 phosphorus for P. vannanmei ponds, and 87.48 kg ha^–1 nitrogen and 7.00 kg ha^–1 phosphorus for M. nipponense hatchery ponds. Shrimp harvest recovered 102.81 kg ha^–1 nitrogen (32.94% of the total nitrogen input) and 7.94 kg ha^–1phosphorus (14.23% of the total phosphorus input) for P. vannanme ponds; and 43.94 kg ha^–1 nitrogen and 4.46 kg ha^–1phosphorus for M. nipponense hatchery ponds. The sum of nitrogen losses through volatilization, denitrification and sedimentation was 173.62 and 122.39 kg ha^–1, 54.86% and 62.29% of the total nitrogen input for P. vannanme ponds and M. nipponense hatchery ponds, respectively. Sediment accumulated 41.46 and 14.63 kg ha^–1 phosphorus, 74.37% and 64.85% of the total phosphorus input for P. vannanm ponds and M. nipponense hatchery ponds. Draining and seeping caused 40.06 kg ha^–1 nitrogen (12.66% of total nitrogen input) and 6.36 kg ha^–1 phosphorus (11.40% of total phosphorus input) loss to the surrounding water from P. vannanme ponds in 114 days; 30.14 kg ha^–1nitrogen (15.34% of the total input) and 4.45 kg ha^–1 phosphorus (17.57% of the total input) to channel water from M. nipponense hatchery ponds in 87 days, respectively. Countermeasures for sustainable pond management include improving feeds and feeding, sediment treatments, machine aerating, chemicals with no pollution, and integrated fish-shrimp cultivation. Management of water resources for pond and methods to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus loading into surrounding water from drainage are elucidated.     

硫化氢气体快速检测方法研究

研究了快速监测硫化氢气体的新方法——硫化氢被动式检气管方法。该法是基于气体分子扩散(Fick)定律和化学吸收原理,将检气管内的海棉载体涂渍上对硫化氢有特效的显色剂(缓冲液G和醋酸铅)。测定时,硫化氢通过检气管端口扩散进入管内,在经过载体时,与载体上的显色剂发生反应,从而产生明显的颜色变化(浅黄色变成棕黑色)。检气管显色长度的平方与硫化氢质量浓度及采样时间的乘积在50~1500mg·m-3范围内成线性关系,从而快速监测环境中硫化氢的时间加权平均质量浓度。该检气管集采样与分析为一体,可快速测定硫化氢气体的质量浓度。与传统的采样分析方法比较,该检气管结构简单,操作方便,不受被测环境的空间大小、有无电源等影响;携带方便,利于外出测定和大面积布点测定。经过应用实验表明,该检气管具有较高的灵敏度,达到设计要求。     

黑柱石和水之间氢同位素平衡分馏的实验研究

在750-250℃温度范围内,对黑柱石-水之间的氢同位素平衡分馏进行了实验研究。研究中改进了氢同位素交换实验方法,从而保证了精度。研究结果表明,750-550℃温度范围内,黑柱石一水的分馏系数10~3lnα°_(黑柱石-水)=-30.51 10~6/T~2-59.86,550-350℃温度范围内,10~3lnα°_(黑柱石-水)与温度1/T~2间无依赖关系,其值为-105.0±0.7,.250℃时,交换率太低。文中讨论了黑柱石-水之间氢同位素分馏系数与温度、矿物晶体结构、矿物化学组成的关系及其地质意义。     

提高柴油质量减少汽车排气污染

柴油机车应用于道路运输具有许多优点，但环境保护要求减少排气污染、颗粒排放污染至关重要，为此，强化柴油燃料规格是其主要的驱动力。本文介绍了美国，西欧和亚太地区柴油质量现状和趋势，分析了我国柴油燃料质量及其改进意见。     

污泥处理和处置技术新进展

通过对国外在活性污泥处理与利用技术新进展的调研，重点介绍浓缩，脱水，厌氧生物处理，焚烧，农用、湿式氧化，湿式氧化，制油，热干燥等技术的研究与应用的情况，以使活性污泥达到减量化、稳定化，无害化和资源化。     

上海电厂FGD产物循环利用的可行性分析

按照上海市第三轮环保三年行动计划的要求,未来3年,上海电厂烟气脱硫规模已经确定,650.8×10~4kW 装机容量.35台燃煤机组在3年中,将先后安装湿法烟气脱硫装置,届时可减少约(16～20)×10~4t/a的 S0_2排放量,将产生约(54～72)×10~4t 的脱硫石膏。文章分析了上海市电厂烟气脱硫产物在生产石膏、水泥中循环利用的可行性,对上海市未来3年中脱硫产物的循环利用,进行了经济分析,按上海市目前 SO_2排污费0.63元/kg计,若煤含硫量以0.8%、1%计算,预计每年可节省 SO_2排污费用约1.02、1.28亿元:电厂脱硫石膏销售将获得约2160～2880万元/a;上海石膏板或水泥企业利用(54～72)×10~4t/a 的脱硫石膏,可使企业的原料购买成本节约3250～3650万元/a;提出了促进上海市电厂脱硫及其产物应用的建议。