The effect of SiNPs on DNA methylation of genome in mouse spermatocytes

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Silica nanoparticles (SiNPs), which are the main inorganic components of atmospheric particulate matter, have been proved to have certain male...     

Allocation and source attribution of lead and cadmium in maize (Zea mays L.) impacted by smelting emissions

Plants grown in contaminated areas may accumulate trace metals to a toxic level via their roots and/or leaves. In the present study, we investigated the distribution and sources of Pb and Cd in maize plants (Zea mays L.) grown in a typical zinc smelting impacted area of southwestern China. Results showed that the smelting activities caused significantly elevated concentrations of Pb and Cd in the surrounding soils and maize plants. Pb isotope data revealed that the foliar uptake of atmospheric Pb was the dominant pathway for Pb to the leaf and grain tissues of maize, while Pb in the stalk and root tissues was mainly derived from root uptake. The ratio of Pb to Cd concentrations in the plants indicated that Cd had a different behavior from Pb, with most Cd in the maize plants coming from the soil via root uptake.     

Proteomics analysis of zebrafish brain following chronically exposed to bisphenol A

Bisphenol A, a plastic monomer and plasticizer, is a well-known endocrine disrupter, widely present in the aquatic environment, but little is known regarding its neurotoxicity in fish. Herein, we investigated its effects on male zebrafish brain. Zebrafish were exposed to 10 µg/L BPA for 45 days. An isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation approach coupled with nano high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis was employed to detect and identify differentially expressed proteins. A total of 46 proteins was identified and categorized into functional classes that mostly included metabolism and transport, cytoplasm and organelle, ion and nucleotide binding, indicating that bisphenol A toxicity in fish brain is complex. The biological pathways of starch and sucrose metabolism, calcium signaling, and aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis were also induced. Proteomic analyses add new perspectives to bisphenol A neurotoxicity in aquatic organisms.     

基于生命周期的产品碳足迹评价与核算分析

近年来,越来越多的企业对其产品进行碳足迹评价,评价方法主要采用产品碳足迹评价标准提供的碳计量方程,如GHG Protocol、ISO14064、PAS 2050、TS Q 0010等。在介绍相关评价标准的基础上,分析了产品碳足迹的评价步骤,最后利用河北盛华化工有限公司生产的PVC产品为例,给出了基于生命周期的B2B模式的产品碳足迹评价的案例。为企业及相关机构开展碳足迹评价提供借鉴作用。     

Sugarcane bagasse amendment improves the quality of green waste vermicompost and the growth of Eisenia fetida

•Earthworms were able to convert green waste into more plant-available nutrients. •The part of heavy metals content increased in the compost added by earthworm. •The addition of SCB to GW did enhance earthworm biomass and humic acid content. •The resulting vermicomposts were characterized by neutral pH and lower EC value. Vermicomposting is a feasible method for disposing of lignocellulosic waste while generating a useful product. The current study assessed the potential of vermicomposting green waste mixed with sugarcane bagasse in proportions of 25%, 50%, and 75% (v:v, based on dry weight). The suitability was evaluated based on the agrochemical properties, earthworm biomass, and phytotoxicity. The final vermicomposts exhibited near-neutral pH values (7.1–7.6), and lower EC values (0.43–0.72 mS/cm) and C:N ratios (14.1–19.9).The content of available nutrients and CEC for all the vermicomposts exceeded those of the control compost (without earthworms). For vermicomposts, the average values of NO₃^–-N, AP, AK, and CEC were 53, 517, 1362 mg/kg, and 158 cmol/kg, respectively. The total contents of heavy metals increased in all vermicompost treatments compared to control composts with the following average final percentages: Zn (2.0%), Cr (15.5%), Pb (23.4%), and Cu (44.3%), but these amounts were safe for application in agroforestry. The addition of sugarcane bagasse to green waste significantly increased the content of total humic substance, humic acid and urease activity, acid and alkaline phosphatase activity, and Eiseniafetida reproduction. The addition of 25% sugarcane bagasse to green waste decreased the toxicity to germinating seeds. These results revealed that vermicomposting is a feasible way to degrade green waste into a value-added chemical product.     

An evaluation on the environmental consequences of residual CFCs from obsolete household refrigerators in China

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) contained in household refrigerators consist mainly of CFC-11 and CFC-12, which will be eventually released into the environment. Consequentially, environmental releases of these refrigerants will lead to ozone depletion and contribute significantly to the greenhouse effect, if waste refrigerators are not disposed of properly. In the present paper, the potential release of residual CFCs and their substitutes from obsolete household refrigerators in China is examined, and their contributions to ozone depletion and greenhouse effect are compared with those of other recognized ozone-depleting substances (ODS) and greenhouse gases (GHGs). The results imply that annual potential amounts of released residual CFC-11 and CFC-12 will reach their maximums at 4600 and 2300 tons, respectively in 2011, and then decrease gradually to zero until 2020. Meanwhile, the amounts of their most widely used substitutes HCFC-141b and HFC-134a will keep increasing. Subsequently, the contribution ratio of these CFCs and their substitutes to ozone depletion will remain at 25% through 2011, and reach its peak value of 34% by 2018. The contribution to greenhouse effect will reach its peak value of 0.57% by 2010. Moreover, the contribution ratio of these CFCs to the total global release of CFCs will steadily increase, reaching its peak of 15% by 2018. Thus, this period from 2010 to 2018 is a crucial time during which residual CFCs and their substitutes from obsolete household refrigerators in China will contribute significantly to ozone depletion.     

低频振动对高温类铀矿岩氡析出规律的影响研究

为了研究铀矿山采掘作业低频振动对高温铀矿围岩氡析出规律的影响,选取南方某铀尾矿砂、石英砂等原材料制备类铀矿岩试块,基于正交试验原理设计0~40 Hz与30~50℃两种因素条件下共计25组对比试验。试验结果表明:在一定时间范围内,单因素测量条件下低频振动与高温加热对试块的氡析出率均有提升作用,但是随着振动频率的上升,氡析出率会呈现一个先增大后减小的趋势,30 Hz时氡析出率达到最大值;在低频振动与高温持续加热耦合作用下,氡析出率变化呈三维立体曲面,在曲面振动频率30 Hz、试块测量温度为50℃位置时氡析出率达到最大值,试验结论可为铀矿井氡防护优化提供一定的参考。     

天童森林生态系统凋落物层跳虫群落的生态学研究

为了解浙江天童森林生态系统凋落物层跳虫群落的生态特征,于2009年12月至2010年9月对天童常绿阔叶林演替系列固定样地灌丛、马尾松林、木荷林、栲树林凋落物层的跳虫群落,按新鲜凋落物层、腐叶层和腐殖土层进行了详细的四季调查研究。共获跳虫标本15 108个,分别隶属于4目,14科其中优势类群为等节虫兆科Isotomidae、棘虫兆科Onychiuridae和长角虫兆科Entomobryidae,三者共占总数的78.35%。对调查结果的分析表明：（1）4种林型凋落物层跳虫群落随植物群落的演替而发生明显的变化,个体总数和多样性指数均在演替初期较低,中后期较高;（2）跳虫的类群数和个体数量在凋落物中呈现垂直分布现象,总体表现为向下递增的趋势,大量的跳虫个体集中分布在中间腐叶层和底部腐殖土层,分别占总数的33.94%和55.99%;（3）跳虫数量的季节变化为：秋季〉夏季〉春季〉冬季。     

陆生植物化感作用的抑藻研究进展

有效控制水华,治理富营养化水体是目前环境领域的研究热点和前沿。所谓化感物质,就是由植物、细菌、病毒和真菌所产生的二次代谢产物。利用水生植物的化感作用或化感物质抑制水体中藻类的爆发被认为是一种高效、低毒、环境亲合性好的方法而备受关注。然而,对于陆生植物应用于抑制藻类生长的研究却较少。文章在对化感作用的概念的演化、各种生物对藻类化感抑制作用、化感物质抑藻机理等方面进行了较系统的论述,总结了近年来国内外学者对于陆生植物化感作用抑藻的研究进展。文章认为相对于水生植物在抑藻方面的局限性,陆生植物的优势体现在对水生生态系统影响明显(化感作用明显)、所含抑藻化感物质种类丰富、不易受水生生态环境影响等方面,并对今后陆生植物抑藻技术的研究方向进行了展望,陆生植物中尤其是菊科植物化感抑藻应用前景广阔。最后指出,陆生植物的化感抑藻作用研究还存在进一步探索和改进化感物质的提取和鉴定方法、抑藻作用机理的研究、应用实际水体时的生态安全性等方面的问题。     

Potential dissemination mechanism of the tetC gene in Aeromonas media from the aerobic biofilm reactor under oxytetracycline stresses

The tetC gene has been found to be one of the most widely distributed tetracycline resistance (tet) genes in various environmental niches, but the detailed dissemination mechanisms are still largely unknown. In the present study, 11 tetC-containing Aeromonas media strains were isolated from an aerobic biofilm reactor under oxytetracycline stresses, and the genome of one strain was sequenced using the PacBio RSII sequencing approach to reveal the genetic environment of tetC. The tetC gene was carried by an IS26 composite transposon, named Tn6434. The tetC-carrying Tn6434 structure was detected in all of the A. media strains either in a novel plasmid pAeme2 (n=9) or other DNA molecules (n=2) by PCR screening. The NCBI database searching result shows that this structure was also present in the plasmids or chromosomes of other 13 genera, indicating the transferability of Tn6434. Inverse PCR and sequencing confirmed that Tn6434 can form a circular intermediate and is able to incorporate into a preexisting IS26 element, suggesting that Tn6434 might be responsible for the dissemination of tetC between different DNA molecules. This study will be helpful in uncovering the spread mechanism of tet genes in water environments.