Responses of bacterial strains isolated from drinking water environments to N-acyl-L-homoserine lactones and their analogs during biofilm formation

Often as a result ofbiofilm formation, drinking water distribution systems （DWDS） are regularly faced with the problem of microbial contamination. Quorum sensing （QS） systems play a marked role in the regulation of microbial biofilm formation; thus, inhibition of QS systems may provide a promising approach to biofilm formation control in DWDS. In the present study, 22 bacterial strains were isolated from drinking water-related environments. The following properties of the strains were investigated： bacterial biofilm formation capacity, QS signal molecule N-acyl-L-homoserine lactones （AHLs） production ability, and responses to AHLs and AHL analogs, 3-chloro-4-（dichloromethyl）-5-hydroxy-2（5H）- furanone （MX） and 2（5H）-furanone. Four AHLs were added to developed biofilms at dosages ranging from 0.1 nmol.L J to 100nmol.L1. As a result, the biofilm growth of more than 1/4 of the isolates, which included AHL producers and non-producers, were significantly promoted. Further, the biofilm biomasses were closely associated with respective AHLs concentrations. These results provided evidence to support the idea that AHLs play a definitive role in biofilm formation in many of the studied bacteria. Meanwhile, two AHLs analogs demon- strated unexpectedly minimal negative effects on biofilm formation. This suggested that, in order to find an applicable QS inhibition approach for biofilm control in DWDS, the testing and analysis of more analogs is needed.     

多氯联苯对我国土壤微生物的生态毒理效应

作为持久性有机污染物(POPs),多氯联苯(PCBs)一旦进入土壤将长期存留并对土栖生物产生潜在危害。土壤微生物是土壤生态系统重要组成部分,研究外源PCBs对土壤微生物的生态毒理效应,筛选出指示PCBs污染的敏感指标并获取可靠的生态毒理数据十分重要。研究以江西红壤和天津潮土为供试土壤,在室内25℃连续培养28 d的条件下进行了生态毒理实验,选择了微生物量碳、呼吸强度、代谢熵、硝化作用、脱氢酶活性、脲酶活性和微生物群落功能多样性为微生物指标。结果显示:1)在28 d培养时间内,多氯联苯(PCBs)的毒性作用随培养时间的延长而增强,且在红壤中的毒性作用强于在潮土中,表明PCBs对土壤微生物的毒性作用存在时间效应并受土壤性质的影响。2)各微生物指标的敏感性不同,微生物量碳、脲酶活性和微生物功能多样性对PCBs污染反应不够敏感,而土壤呼吸强度、代谢熵、硝化作用和脱氢酶活性对PCBs污染反应敏感。3)14 d时,红壤中PCBs对脱氢酶活性、呼吸强度和代谢熵的EC10值分别为1.20、3.18和1.09 mg·kg-1,而在潮土中分别为6.31、4.73和50 mg·kg-1;28 d时,红壤中PCBs对硝化作用、脱氢酶活性、呼吸强度和代谢熵的EC10值分别为2.32、0.77、0.51和0.71mg·kg-1,而在潮土中分别为5.91、1.65、3.00和50 mg·kg-1。综合考虑经济和实际需要等因素,建议将呼吸强度、硝化作用和脱氢酶活性作为PCBs污染土壤生态毒理评价中的首选敏感指标,并建议培养时间设置为28 d。     

氧化乐果对小球藻的毒性研究

以小球藻(Chlorella vulgaris)为实验生物,通过研究不同浓度(0、1、5、10、15、20 mg·L-1)的氧化乐果对小球藻生长发育及EC50,硝酸还原酶活性,叶绿素含量的影响,初步探讨了氧化乐果对小球藻的毒性作用。实验结果表明:氧化乐果对小球藻96 hEC50值为4.88 mg·L-1;低浓度氧化乐果(1 mg·L-1)在前6天对小球藻细胞增长影响不大,高浓度氧化乐果(大于5 mg·L-1)则在初期就表现为抑制,氧化乐果浓度与细胞数量之间表现为负相关(R2=0.65755);在第8天,氧化乐果各浓度组的硝酸还原酶的相对酶活也表现"低促高抑"作用,但是仍然高于对照组的酶活,整体表现为促进作用;随着氧化乐果浓度的增加,小球藻叶绿素含量呈现明显降低的趋势。     

Indicating landfill stabilization state by using leachate property from Laogang Refuse Landfill

Variation and evolution process of leachate can be applied as a reference for landfill stabilization phase. In this work, leachates with different ages were collected from Laogang Refuse Landfill, and characterized with 14 key parameters. Simultaneously, principal component analysis （PCA） was applied to develop a synthetic parameter-F based on these 14 parameters, and a logarithm equation was simulated for the landfill stabilization process finally. It was predicted that leachates would meet Class I and Class II in standard for pollution control on the landfill site of municipal solid waste （GB 16889-1997） after 32 years and 22 years disposal under the natural attenuation in the humid and warm southern areas of China, respectively. The predication of landfill state would be more accurate and useful according to the synthetic parameter F of leachate from a working landfill.     

Comparative study on the efficiency and environmental impact of two methods of utilizing polyvinyl chloride waste based on life cycle assessments

Two processes of utilizing polyvinyl chloride （PVC） waste, an incineration process and a vacuum pyrolysis process, for energy conversion were compared to determine their efficiency and environmental perfor- mance. We carried out a life cycle assessment with each of the two processes to evaluate their environmental impact and defined the goals and limits of our remit. As well, we established an inventory of PVC waste from incineration and vacuum pyrolysis based on process analysis, data collection and calculations. The results show that electrical power output per unit mass of PVC waste in the incineration process was twice as high as that of the vacuum pyrolysis process. Incineration had a larger total environmental impact potential than vacuum pyrolysis. The total environmental impact potential of PVC waste from incineration was three times higher than that from vacuum pyrolysis. Incineration of PVC disposed 300 ng. 100 kgI of dioxins and vacuum pyrolysis 98.19 ng- 100 kgI of dioxins. As well, we analyzed the data for their uncertainty with results quantified in terms of three uncertainties： basic uncertainty, additional uncertainty, and computational uncertainty. The coefficients of variation of the data were less than 25% and the quality of the inventory data was acceptable with low uncertainty. Both PVC waste disposal processes were of similar quality and their results comparable. The results of our life cycle impact assessment （LCIA） showed considerable reliability of our methodology. Overall, the vacuum pyrolysis process has a number advantages and greater potential for development of PVC disposal than the incineration process.     

N2O emission from a sequencing batch reactor for biological N and P removal from wastewater

Nitrous oxide （N2O） is a greenhouse gas that can be released during biological nitrogen removal from wastewater. N2O emission from a sequencing batch reactor （SBR） for biological nitrogen and phosphorus removal from wastewater was investigated, and the aims were to examine which process, nitrification or denitrification, would contribute more to N2Oemission and to study the effects of heterotrophic activities on N2O emission during nitrification. The results showed that N2O emission was mainly attributed to nitrification rather than to denitrification. N2O emission during denitrification mainly occurred with stored organic carbon as the electron donor. During nitrification, NaO emission was increased with increasing initial ammonium or nitrite concentrations. The ratio of N2O emission to the removed ammonium nitrogen （N2O- N/NH4-N） was 2.5% in the SBR system with high heterotrophic activities, while this ratio was in the range from 0.14% to 1.06% in batch nitrification experiments with limited heterotrophic activities.     

A review of atmospheric mercury emissions,pollution and control in China

Mercury, as a global pollutant, has significant impacts on the environment and human health. The current state of atmospheric mercury emissions, pollution and control in China is comprehensively reviewed in this paper. With about 500-800 t of anthropogenic mercury emissions, China contributes 25%-40% to the global mercury emissions. The dominant mercury emission sources in China are coal combustion, non-ferrous metal smelting, cement production and iron and steel production. The mercury emissions from natural sources in China are equivalent to the anthropogenic mercury emissions. The atmospheric mercury concentration in China is about 2-10 times the background level of North Hemisphere. The mercury deposition fluxes in remote areas in China are usually in the range of 10-50μg·m^-2·yr^-1. To reduce mercury emissions, legislations have been enacted for power plants, non-ferrous metal smelters and waste incinerators. Currently mercury contented in the flue gas is mainly removed through existing air pollution control devices for sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particles. Dedicated mercury control technologies are required in the future to further mitigate the mercury emissions in China.     

Enhanced organic phosphorus detection in sediments by foam separation and 31P-NMR

Phosphorus (P) is both a nutrient and a pollutant. For instance, excess P induces water eutrophication followed by death of fishes and other water life. Determination of organic P content in sediments is therefore important to study P cycling and environmental pollution. The most widely used method to determine organic P in sediments is NaOH–EDTA extraction followed by ³¹P-NMR detection. However, some organic P compounds are difficult to extract using NaOH–EDTA due to the low solubility, thus can not be detected by ³¹P NMR. Here, we used foam separation to determine organic P in sediment of North Canal of Tianjin City, China. Organic P was first enriched using foam separation coupled with NaOH extraction. The enriched organic P was then analyzed with ³¹P NMR. The results showed that, compared with the traditional extraction method, foam separation coupled with NaOH extraction enriched more P compound because ³¹P NMR detected an extra signal of teichoic acid at chemical shift 1.14. This teichoic acid signal was not detected in the extract prepared using only NaOH–EDTA. Our finding demonstrates that determination using foam separation followed by ³¹P NMR is feasible.     

云南曲靖地区铜的暴露与肺癌相关性研究

我国云南省曲靖的宣威和富源等地是全世界肺癌高发区,为了研究环境介质中铜(Cu)等重金属的暴露与体内分布特征,探讨Cu与肺癌的相关性,在当地开展肺癌环境流行病学调查,采集宣威和富源高发区人群饮食、饮水以及人体血浆和肺组织样品,微波消解ICP-MS法测定样品中Cu等元素.结果显示,当地居民使用燃料类型是影响肺癌高发的重要因素.高发区人群Cu的日摄入总量低于我国推荐的每日膳食中营养素供给量(RDA).肺癌组血液中Cu含量显著高于对照组,肺癌组织中Cu含量显著高于癌旁组织和正常组织,且肺癌患者的血浆和肺组织中Cu/Zn比值均升高.Pearson相关性分析结果表明,Cu和Ni、Cu和Pb呈显著正相关,提示在致癌作用上具有协同效应;Cu和Fe、Cu和Zn呈显著负相关,提示具有抑制或拮抗作用.多因素Logistic回归结果表明,Cu是肺癌发生的重要影响因素,人体中Cu含量和Cu/Zn比值可为肺癌的早期预防和诊断提供科学依据.