Cloning and expression analysis of geosmin synthase gene from Aphanizomenon gracile北大核心CSCD

Geosmin is a secondary metabolite responsible for earthy odors. The occurrence of geosmin has great impact on the quality of water environment. The gene essential for geosmin biosynthesis have been identified in several species. But little is known about the mechanism of geosmin synthesis in Aphanizomenon gracile. This study attempted to clone the gene involved in geosmin biosynthesis of Aphanizomenon gracile a nd a nalyze t he geosmin production u nder d ifferent e nvironments. T he high-efficiency thermal asymmetric interlaced PCR (hiTAIL-PCR) was used to amplify the full-length of geosmin synthase gene from Aphanizomenon gracile (WH-1). Real time PCR (RT-PCR) was applied to quantify the geosmin production in different light and temperature. As a result, geo, a geosmin synthase gene from Aphanizomenon gracile (WH-1) was cloned by hiTAIL-PCR. The full-length open reading frame (ORF) of geo was 2 262 bp, coding for a protein of 753 amino acids. Meanwhile, WH-1 was treated with different environment conditions and mRNA expression levels of geo were quantified by RT-PCR. It was found that low temperature (15 °C), high light intensity (35 μmol m-2 s-1) and continuous light illumination were beneficial to the expression of geo. The successful amplification of geosmin synthase gene verified that hiTAIL-PCR is an effective and simple procedure of low cost. The result provides fundamental knowledge on the monitoring and prevention for odorants.     

典型河谷城市儿童土壤与灰尘铅暴露风险

为定量评价河谷型城市土壤与灰尘铅对城市儿童健康的影响与风险,结合野外调查的基础上,以陕西渭河谷地典型工业城市宝鸡、西安、渭南和铜川为研究区域,以定量分析河谷型城市儿童环境铅暴露为核心,收集4个城市土壤与灰尘分析样品总计243个。利用X射线荧光光谱法测定了4个城市土壤与灰尘铅的含量;采用BCR连续形态分级法探究了城市土壤与灰尘重金属铅地球化学形态分布与迁移特征;根据US EPA污染物暴露与健康风险评价模型对城市儿童铅暴露进行了评价。研究结果表明渭河谷地典型城市宝鸡、铜川、西安和渭南城市土壤与灰尘铅浓度(X±SD)分别为(409.2±52.54)和(624.70±66.15)mg·kg-1、(357.47±41.37)和(592.60±36.78)mg·kg-1、(61.4±13.31)和(78.42±14.89)mg·kg-1、(46.71±12.11)和(64.7±13.76)mg·kg-1,均高出陕西省土壤铅背景值;污染水平依次为宝鸡铜川西安渭南。4个河谷型城市土壤与灰尘重金属铅发生整体迁移的趋势为:宝鸡城市灰尘(90.71%)西安城市灰尘(84.74%)≥宝鸡城市土壤(83.12%)渭南城市灰尘(74.89%)≥西安城市土壤(74.50%)铜川城市灰尘(72.49%)铜川城市土壤(57.50%)渭南城市土壤(53.79%)。可见,铅在均在城市灰尘中的迁移趋势远大于相应的城市土壤。4个城市土壤与灰尘均表现出较大的儿童暴露致癌风险,宝鸡和铜川城市儿童土壤与灰尘铅暴露也分别存在非致癌风险,风险程度依次为宝鸡铜川西安渭南。儿童铅暴露致癌与非致癌风险程度与其城市土壤和灰尘中铅可氧化态分布呈相似的规律,表明碱性的城市土壤与城市灰尘(p H7)中可氧化态铅可能是导致河谷型城市儿童铅暴露风险和儿童血铅污染的主要形态和因素。由此,城市燃煤排放与含铅制品的加工等活动可能是渭河谷地河谷型城市儿童血铅与铅暴露最主要的贡献源,必须采取长期有效的监测与控制措施。     

利用N-乙酰-β-D-氨基葡萄糖苷酶含量评价农药对花翅摇蚊种群发育的影响

为了进一步探索种群水平的生态风险评估方法,本文利用β-N-Acetyl-D-glucosaminidase(NAGase)的变化量来监测农药对摇蚊种群发育的影响。从花翅摇蚊Chironomus kiiensis体内分离纯化得到电泳纯的NAGase,并通过免疫大白兔制得NAGase的多克隆抗体。运用间接非竞争ELISA法检测抗体特异性,结果表明其与共同存在于水体的一些生物的NAGase的交叉反应率为隆线溞4.41%、老年低额溞3.12%、多刺裸腹溞3.40%、中华薄壳介4.17%、日本沼虾3.23%、白纹伊蚊7.50%、小球藻0.5%。运用抗体测得毒死蜱、氰戊菊酯和阿维菌素3种杀虫剂对于摇蚊NAGase释放量的12 d-EC50分别为1.2012、0.0043和0.6281μg·L-1,以NAGase活力作为测试终点,测得相应的12 d-EC50:1.4765、0.0051和0.6756μg·L-1,两者差异不显著,但均显著低于以死亡作为测试终点的12 d-LC50:4.8171、0.0954和2.1340μg·L-1,且毒力大小均为氰戊菊酯阿维菌素毒死蜱。上述结果表明,利用NAGase多克隆抗体可以特异性地检测农药对花翅摇蚊种群发育的影响。     

An integrated impact assessment and weighting methodology: evaluation of the environmental consequences of computer display technology substitution

Computer display technology is currently in a state of transition, as the traditional technology of cathode ray tubes is being replaced by liquid crystal display flat-panel technology. Technology substitution and process innovation require the evaluation of the trade-offs among environmental impact, cost, and engineering performance attributes. General impact assessment methodologies, decision analysis and management tools, and optimization methods commonly used in engineering cannot efficiently address the issues needed for such evaluation. The conventional Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) process often generates results that can be subject to multiple interpretations, although the advantages of the LCA concept and framework obtain wide recognition. In the present work, the LCA concept is integrated with Quality Function Deployment (QFD), a popular industrial quality management tool, which is used as the framework for the development of our integrated model. The problem of weighting is addressed by using pairwise comparison of stakeholder preferences. Thus, this paper presents a new integrated analytical approach, Integrated Industrial Ecology Function Deployment (I2-EFD), to assess the environmental behavior of alternative technologies in correlation with their performance and economic characteristics. Computer display technology is used as the case study to further develop our methodology through the modification and integration of various quality management tools (e.g., process mapping, prioritization matrix) and statistical methods (e.g., multi-attribute analysis, cluster analysis). Life cycle thinking provides the foundation for our methodology, as we utilize a published LCA report, which stopped at the characterization step, as our starting point. Further, we evaluate the validity and feasibility of our methodology by considering uncertainty and conducting sensitivity analysis.     

Hydrothermal-treated Pt/Al2O3 as an excellent catalyst for toluene total oxidation

The preparation of highly active supported noble metal catalysts with a low noble metal loading has always been the ultimate goal of researchers working on catalysis. Hydrothermally treated Pt/Al₂O₃ (Pt/Al₂O₃-H) exhibits better catalytic activity than that (Pt/Al₂O₃-C) treated via the conventional calcination approach. At the high space velocity of 100,000 mL/(g∙hr), the temperature that correspond to 50% toluene conversion (T₅₀) of Pt/Al₂O₃-H is 115°C lower than that of Pt/Al₂O₃-C, and the turnover frequency (TOF) value can reach 0.0756 sec⁻¹. The mechanism by which the hydrothermal approach enhances Pt/Al₂O₃ activity has been investigated. The structure associated with the high catalytic activity of Pt nanoparticles (NPs) can be retained via hydrothermal treatment. Furthermore, the support is transformed to AlO(OH) with numerous surface hydroxyl groups, which in turn can facilitate the adsorption of toluene. And the synergistic effects of Pt NPs and AlO(OH) increases the contents of Pt in oxidation state and active oxygen, which are beneficial for toluene oxidation.     

Impact of pre-oxidation on the formation of byproducts in algae-laden water disinfection: Insights from fluorescent and molecular weight

Pre-oxidation has been reported to be an effective way to remove algal cells in water, but the released algal organic matter (AOM) could be oxidized and lead to the increment in disinfection by-product (DBP) formation. The relationship between pre-oxidation and AOM-derived DBP formation needs to be approached more precisely. This study compared the impact of four pre-oxidants, ozone (O₃), chlorine dioxide (ClO₂), potassium permanganate (KMnO₄) and sodium hypochlorite (NaClO), on the formation of nitrogenous (N-) and carbonaceous (C-) DBPs in AOM chlorination. The characterization (fluorescent properties, molecular weight distribution and amino acids concentration) on AOM samples showed that the characterization properties variations after pre-oxidation were highly dependent on the oxidizing ability of oxidants. The disinfection experiments showed that O₃ increased DBP formation most significantly, which was consistent with the result of characterization properties variations. Then canonical correspondent analysis (CCA) and Pearson's correlation analysis were conducted based on the characterization data and DBP formation. CCA indicated that C-DBPs formation was highly dependent on fluorescent data. The formation of haloacetic acids (HAAs) had a positive correlation with aromatic protein-like component while trichloromethane (TCM) had a positive correlation with fulvic acid-like component. Pearson's correlation analysis showed that low molecular weight fractions were favorable to form N-DBPs. Therefore, characterization data could provide the advantages in the control of DBP formation, which further revealed that KMnO₄ and ClO₂ were better options for removing algal cells as well as limiting DBP formation.     

Short-term inhalation exposure evaluations of airborne antibiotic resistance genes in environments

Antibiotic resistance is a sword of Damocles that hangs over humans. In regards to airborne antibiotic resistance genes (AARGs), critical knowledge gaps still exist in the identification of hotspots and quantification of exposure levels in different environments. Here, we have studied the profiles of AARGs, mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and bacterial communities in various atmospheric environments by high throughput qPCR and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. We propose a new AARGs exposure dose calculation that uses short-term inhalation (STI). Swine farms and hospitals were high-risk areas where AARGs standardised abundance was more abundant than suburbs and urban areas. Additionally, resistance gene abundance in swine farm worker sputum was higher than that in healthy individuals in other environments. The correlation between AARGs with MGEs and bacteria was strong in suburbs but weak in livestock farms and hospitals. STI exposure analysis revealed that occupational intake of AARGs (via PM₁₀) in swine farms and hospitals were 110 and 29 times higher than in suburbs, were 1.5 × 10⁴, 5.6 × 10⁴ and 5.1 × 10² copies, i.e., 61.9%, 75.1% and 10.7% of the overall daily inhalation intake, respectively. Our study comprehensively compares environmental differences in AARGs to identify high-risk areas, and forwardly proposes the STI exposure dose of AARGs to guide risk assessment.     

Chemical characterization and source identification of PM2.5 in Luoyang after the clean air actions

Luoyang is a typical heavy industrial city in China, with a coal-dominated energy structure and serious air pollution. Following the implementation of the clean air actions, the physicochemical characteristics and sources of PM_2.5 have changed. A comprehensive study of PM_2.5 was conducted from October 16, 2019 to January 23, 2020 to evaluate the effectiveness of previous control measures and further to provide theory basis for more effective policies in the future. Results showed that the aerosol pollution in Luoyang in autumn and winter is still serious with the average concentration of 91.1 μg/m³, although a large reduction (46.9%) since 2014. With the contribution of nitrate increased from 12.5% to 25.1% and sulfate decreased from 16.7% to 11.2%, aerosol pollution has changed from sulfate-dominate to nitrate-dominate. High NO₃⁻/SO₄²⁻ ratio and the increasing of NO₃⁻/SO₄²⁻ ratio with the aggravation of pollution indicating vehicle exhaust playing an increasingly important role in PM_2.5 pollution in Luoyang, especially in the haze processes. Secondary inorganic ions contributed significantly to the enhancement of PM_2.5 during the pollution period. The high value of Cl⁻/Na⁺ and EC concentration indicate coal combustion in Luoyang is still serious. The top three contributor sources were secondary inorganic aerosols (33.3%), coal combustion (13.6%), and industrial emissions (13.4%). Close-range transport from the western and northeastern directions were more important factors in air pollution in Luoyang during the sampling period. It is necessary to strengthen the control of coal combustion and reduce vehicle emissions in future policies.     

Identification and characterization of Fe3O4/peroxodisulfate advanced oxidation products from sulfameter

Sulfonamides (SAs) are one of the most widely used antibiotics and their residuals in the environment could cause some negative environmental issues. Advanced oxidation such as Fenton-like reaction has been widely applied in the treatment of SAs polluted water. Degradation rates of 95%-99.7% were achieved in this work for the tested 8 SAs, including sulfisomidine, sulfameter (SME), phthalylsulfathiazole, sulfamethoxypyridazine, sulfamonomethoxine, sulfisoxazole, sulfachloropyridazine, and sulfadimethoxine, in the Fe₃O₄/peroxodisulfate (PDS) oxidation system after the optimization of PDS concentration and pH. Meanwhile, it was found that a lot of unknown oxidation products were formed, which brought up the uncertainty of health risks to the environment, and the identification of these unknown products was critical. Therefore, SME was selected as the model compound, from which the oxidation products were never elucidated, to identify these intermediates/products. With liquid chromatography-high resolution tandem mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS/MS), 10 new products were identified, in which 2-amino-5-methoxypyrimidine (AMP) was confirmed by its standard. The investigation of the oxidation process of SME indicated that most of the products were not stable and the degradation pathways were very complicated as multiple reactions, such as oxidation of the amino group, SO₂ extrusion, and potential cross-reaction occurred simultaneously. Though most of the products were not verified due to the lack of standards, our results could be helpful in the evaluation of the treatment performance of SAs containing wastewater.     

Highly efficient P uptake by Fe3O4 loaded amorphous Zr-La (carbonate) oxides: Electrostatic attraction, inner-sphere complexation and oxygen vacancies acceleration effect

Bimetallic oxides composites have received an increasing attention as promising adsorbents for aqueous phosphate (P) removal in recent years. In this study, a novel magnetic composite MZLCO was prepared by hybridizing amorphous Zr-La (carbonate) oxides (ZLCO) with nano-Fe₃O₄ through a one-pot solvothermal method for efficient phosphate adsorption. Our optimum sample of MZLCO-45 exhibited a high Langmuir maximum adsorption capacity of 96.16 mg P/g and performed well even at low phosphate concentration. The phosphate adsorption kinetics by MZLCO-45 fitted well with the pseudo-second-order model, and the adsorption capacity could reach 79% of the ultimate value within the first 60 min. The phosphate adsorption process was highly pH-dependent, and MZLCO-45 performed well over a wide pH range of 2.0-8.0. Moreover, MZLCO-45 showed a strong selectivity to phosphate in the presence of competing ions (Cl⁻, NO₃⁻, SO₄²⁻, HCO₃⁻, Ca²⁺, and Mg²⁺) and a good reusability using the eluent of NaOH/NaCl mixture, then 64% adsorption capacity remained after ten recycles. The initial 2.0 mg P/L in municipal wastewater and surface water could be efficiently reduced to below 0.1mg P/L by 0.07 g/L MZLCO-45, and the phosphate removal efficiencies were 95.7% and 96.21%, respectively. Phosphate adsorption mechanisms by MZLCO-45 could be attributed to electrostatic attraction and the inner-sphere complexation via ligand exchange forming Zr/La-O-P, -OH and CO₃²⁻ groups on MZLCO-45 surface played important roles in the ligand exchange process. The existence of oxygen vacancies could accelerate the phosphate absorption rate of the MZLCO-45 composites.