Functional gene expression of oil-degrading bacteria resistant to hexadecane toxicity

Contamination with oil poses a threat to the environment and to human health worldwide. Biological methodologies have proved to be economical, versatile and efficient for the remediation of pollutants. In this paper, a highly efficient oil-degrading bacterial strain USTB-2 was isolated from an oil production well of Dagang oil field in Tianjin, China. The 16S rRNA sequence of USTB-2 showed 100% similarity with that of Bacillus subtilis BSn5. Hexadecane is one of the most important components in petroleum. The half inhibitory ratio (IC₅₀) of hexadecane inhibited organisms, determined by microcalorimetry, was lower in USTB-2 than in B. BSn5. The results indicate that the strain USTB-2 degrades hexadecane to make it less toxic compared with the normal strain. RT-PCR was used to evaluate the expression of oil-degrading enzymes, specifically 4-hydroxyphenylacetate 3-monooxygenase genes (HPMO). A sharp increase in the expression of HPMO genes was observed for USTB-2, while the expression of HPMO genes in reference strain B. BSn5 remained relatively stable. These methods can be used to study the metabolic potential of microorganisms for in situ oil decontamination.     

Characterization of endophytic Rahnella sp. JN6 from Polygonum pubescens and its potential in promoting growth and Cd,Pb, Zn uptake by Brassica napus

Microbe-assisted phytoremediation has been considered as a promising measure for the remediation of heavy metal-polluted soils. In this study, a metal-tolerance and plant growth-promoting endophytic bacterium JN6 was firstly isolated from roots of Mn-hyperaccumulator Polygonum pubescens grown in metal-contaminated soil and identified as Rahnella sp. based on 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis. Strain JN6 showed very high Cd, Pb and Zn tolerance and effectively solubilized CdCO₃, PbCO₃ and Zn₃(PO₄)₂ in culture solution. The isolate produced plant growth-promoting substances such as indole-3-acetic acid, siderophore, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic deaminase, and also solubilized inorganic phosphate. Based upon its ability in metal tolerance and solubilization, the isolate JN6 was further studied for its effects on the growth and accumulation of Cd, Pb and Zn in Brassica napus (rape) by pot experiments. Rape plants inoculated with the isolate JN6 had significantly higher dry weights, concentrations and uptake of Cd, Pb and Zn in both above-ground and root tissues than those without inoculation grown in soils amended with Cd (25 mg kg^?1), Pb (200 mg kg^?1) or Zn (200 mg kg^?1). The isolate also showed a high level of colonization in tissue interior of rapes. The present results demonstrated that Rahnella sp. JN6 is a valuable microorganism, which can cost-effectively improve the efficiency of phytoremediation in soils contaminated by Cd, Pb and Zn.     

可见光分解-氯碱氧化法去除废水中的铁氰化物

采用可见光分解（光解）-氯碱氧化法去除模拟废水中的Fe（CN）63-。考察了光解过程中反应时间、初始Fe（CN）63-质量浓度和初始废水pH对Fe（CN）63-去除效果及表观反应速率常数（k（Fe（CN）63-））的影响,以及光解-氯碱氧化法对Fe（CN）63-模拟废水中总氰化物（TCN）的去除效果。实验结果表明：在初始Fe（CN）63-质量浓度6.7 mg/L、初始废水pH 12、反应时间8.0 h的条件下,Fe（CN）63-的去除率为83%,光解过程符合表观一级动力学模型;在初始Fe（CN）63-质量浓度6.7 mg/L、初始TCN质量浓度4.90 mg/L、初始废水pH 12、反应时间12.0 h的条件下,采用光解-氯碱氧化法可使Fe（CN）63-模拟废水的TCN质量浓度降至0.14 mg/L,低于GB 16171—2012的要求（0.2 mg/L）,该过程的限速步骤为Fe（CN）63-的光解破络过程。     

Bayesian importance parameter modeling of misaligned predictors: soil metal measures related to residential history and intellectual disability in children

In this paper, we propose a novel spatial importance parameter hierarchical logistic regression modeling approach that includes measurement error from misalignment. We apply this model to study the relationship between the estimated concentration of soil metals at the residence of mothers and the development of intellectual disability (ID) in their children. The data consist of monthly computerized claims data about the prenatal experience of pregnant women living in nine areas within South Carolina and insured by Medicaid during January 1, 1996 and December 31, 2001 and the outcome of ID in their children during early childhood. We excluded mother-child pairs if the mother moved to an unknown location during pregnancy. We identified an association of the ID outcome with arsenic (As) and mercury (Hg) concentration in soil during pregnancy, controlling for infant sex, maternal race, mother’s age, and gestational weeks at delivery. There is some indication that Hg has a slightly higher importance in the third and fourth months of pregnancy, while As has a more uniform effect over all the months with a suggestion of a slight increase in risk in later months.     

Distribution and change of DDT and HCH levels in oysters (Crassostrea rivularis) from coast of Guangdong,China between 2003 and 2007

This investigation was undertaken to understand the temporal trend, the spatial distribution and the residue level of dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethanes (DDTs) and hexachlorobenzenes(HCHs) in bivalves from the coast of the South China in recent years. Jinjiang oysters (Crassostrea rivularis) were sampled from 15 bays along the coast of Guangdong province, China between 2003 and 2007. Gas chromatography with electron capture detector was used to quantify the contents of HCH isomers (α-, β-, γ-, δ-HCH), DDT isomers (p,p′-, o,p′-DDT), p,p′-DDD and p,p′-DDE in the oyster tissues. The results demonstrate that annual level of DDTs in the tissue increase throughout the study, particularly between 2004 and 2006. The DDTs content in the tissue varied significantly among sampling regions and some sampling sites (p < 0.05). On the other hand, the HCHs content was significantly lower than DDTs content in the tissue (p < 0.01), and remain constant among sampling years, sampling regions and sampling sites (p > 0.10). Predominance of isomer form of DDTs and higher ratio of γ-HCH/HCHs at some sites indicated that recent input of DDT and lindane in the coastal waters of Guangdong, which might be caused by dicofol spraying in crop planting and lacquer painting on fisher boat. In the soft tissues of the oysters, the highest content of HCHs was 1.21 ng/g (wet weight), and DDTs levels ranged from 0.11 ng/g to 76.3 ng/g (wet weight), far below the Maximum Residual Limits in China and many developed nations.     

Biodegradation and removal of 3,4-dichloroaniline by Chlorella pyrenoidosa based on liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry

3,4-Dichloroaniline (3,4-DCA), widely used in the synthesis of dyes, textile and herbicides, is toxic to living organisms. The purpose of this study was to investigate the capability of green algae in degrading and removing 3,4-DCA in water. An environmentally ubiquitous green alga Chlorella pyrenoidosa was isolated from fresh aquatic environment. Then unicellular alga was incubated with 3,4-DCA at a concentration of 4.6 μg/?mL in water. The residual concentration of 3,4-DCA in the medium and the metabolites were analyzed. A removal percentage of 78.4 % was obtained over a 7-day period. Two major metabolites with less toxicity were identified as 3,4-dichloroformanilide and 3,4-dichloroacetanilide from the liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry analysis. The application of microalga C. pyrenoidosa may have potential for removing the environmental pollutant in aquatic environment.     

固态发酵法制备优势硝化菌固定化产品的工艺优化

为解决高效菌在工程应用中扩大培养、保存和接种等瓶颈,研究固态发酵法制备焦化废水优势硝化菌固定化产品.以TTC脱氢酶活性法作为固体发酵生物量测定指标,通过液态发酵单因素实验初步确定硝化菌发酵条件,再用响应面法对其固态发酵条件进行优化.结果表明,TTC脱氢酶活性法适合作为表征生物质载体固定化产品生物量的测定方法,不受载体和培养时间的影响,能较好地指示干燥前固态发酵生物量的变化.固态发酵主要影响参数依次为发酵时间、发酵温度、接种量和含水率.发酵时间的最佳值为47 h,发酵温度最佳为29.4℃,接种量的最佳值为9.9 mL/200 mL,最佳含水率为48.9％时,固态发酵固定化产品酶活达到17.091 μg TF/(g·h).与液态发酵参数相比其发酵温度、接种量最佳值接近,但发酵时间由1d延长至2d,产品酶活持平.     

臭氧催化氧化降解苯胺的机理

对臭氧单独氧化和臭氧催化氧化下的苯胺降解效率进行了比较,并通过液质联机分析了氧化过程中产物变化情况。实验结果表明,催化剂MnO2-CuO-CeO2/沸石的添加能有效地提高臭氧氧化苯胺的降解率,当苯胺初始浓度为200mg/L,反应20 min后,苯胺的去除率由原来的75%提高到89%;通过LC-MS分析,臭氧催化氧化苯胺降解过程中代谢产物依次为对亚胺醌、对苯醌、马来酸和草酸,并由此推断出了臭氧催化氧化降解苯胺的途径。     

改进隔板絮凝池的数值模拟和实验

通过在廊道中增加了V型穿孔挡板,对传统往复式隔板絮凝池进行了改进,利用数值模拟和实验方法,探讨了改进絮凝池中流态、湍动能（κ）、耗散率（ε）分布情况以及这些参数对絮凝效果的影响。对多种方案进行了优化计算和实验,结果表明,在隔板絮凝池第1个廊道进口1/3和2/3处设置2个120°多孔V型挡板在各种方案中絮凝效果最好,能有效地增加水体紊动,提高絮凝效果,增设V型穿孔挡板后可以适当减少隔板絮凝池长度。     

三乙胺降解菌SYA-1的分离、降解性能与动力学

从农药废水处理池的活性污泥中分离筛选得到1株高效三乙胺降解菌株SYA-1,根据菌株SYA-1的形态特征、生理生化特性和16S rRNA基因序列同源性分析,此菌株鉴定为Achromobacter sp.。菌株SYA-1能以三乙胺为惟一碳、氮源生长,并在24 h内完全降解200 mg/L的三乙胺。环境因素影响实验表明,在温度30℃,初始pH 7.0,NaCl浓度≤10 g/L条件下,菌株SYA-1生长良好且对三乙胺的降解效率最佳;金属离子对菌株生长和三乙胺降解的抑制程度表现为:Cu2+Co2+Ag+Cd2+Fe3+Pb2+。菌株SYA-1降解三乙胺的动力学过程可用Haldane模型模拟,其参数为μmax=0.123h-1;K s=82 mg/L;K i=215 mg/L。为含三乙胺废水的生物降解提供了理论依据和菌株资源。