Hg bioavailability and impact on bacterial communities in a long-term polluted soil

Different soil samples characterised by a long-term Hg-pollution were studied for Hg total content, fractionation, phytotoxicity and influence on the bacterial community. Hg pollution ranged from 1 to 50 mg kg(-1) and most of it was speciated in scarcely soluble forms. In agreement with this, the biochemical quality indexes were investigated (biomass, enzyme activities) and the bacterial community (viable heterotrophic (VH) bacteria, functional diversity) apparently was not influenced by the degree of Hg pollution. In particular, the investigated soils exhibited a low percentage of Hg-resistant (Hg(R)) bacteria ranging from less than 0.001% to 0.25% of the VH and the addition of available Hg in the form of HgCl(2) induced an enrichment of resistant Hg(R) populations. The general biodiversity of the bacterial community was evaluated by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of DNA of Hg spiked soil microcosms and of control soils. Hg(R) bacteria capable to grow in a minimal medium containing HgCl(2) were also isolated and identified. MerA and merB gene PCR fragments were obtained from different Hg(R) strains and the range of similarities at the DNA level and at the deduced amino acid level showed that they carried mercuric reductase and lyase. Differently from bacteria, some influence of soil Hg content on seeds' germination and root elongation was observed for Lepidium sativum L. and Solanum lycopersicum L. In conclusion, most of the Hg in these long-term polluted soils was scarcely mobile and available and did not significantly influence the soil bacterial community. The risk of potential Hg remobilization over time, that could be naturally favoured by the activity of plant roots or other inorganic processes occurring in soil, can be extenuated since bacterial community was resistant and resilient to subsequent Hg stress.     

高速铁路高填复合路堤边坡安全问题探讨

路基是高速铁路安全系统的关键和薄弱环节 ,建在软土上的高填路堤边坡是否稳定 ,更是直接关系到路基乃至整个高速铁路系统的安全 ,采用桩—网复合地基形式修建高路堤是一个好办法 ,这种路堤形式尚不多见。笔者结合其特点 ,从理论上提出了一种新的边坡安全实用计算方法 ;讨论了影响边坡安全的主要因素 ;验证了这一计算方法的合理性     

Changing scenario of Himalayan agroecosystems: loss of agrobiodiversity, an indicator of environmental change in Central Himalaya, India

Environmental, biological, socio-cultural and economic variations in the Himalayas have led to the evolution of diverse and unique traditional agroecosystems, crop species, and livestock, which help the traditional mountain farming societies to sustain themselves. During the recent past, as a result of rapid changes in land use caused by socio-cultural and economic changes and various environmental perturbations, the agrobiodiversity of the Central Himalayan agroecosystems has changed steadily. A recent survey conducted in 150 different villages located along an elevated transect of the Alaknanda catchment of the Central Himalaya revealed that over a period of two decades (1970–74 and 1990–94) the cultivated area under many traditional crops had declined significantly. A micro-level study carried out in 30 villages revealed that a series of changes had occurred in land use practices over a period of 25–30 years.The loss of agrobiodiversity and the changing socio-cultural and economic dimensions and their impacts on the sustainability of Himalayan agroecosystems are emerging as major causes of concern at local/regional/national scale, and appropriate options to meet these challenges are discussed in this paper.     

Isolation of Thiobacillus sp from aerobic sludge of distillery and dairy effluent treatment plants and its sulfide oxidation activity at different concentrations

In the present study two strains of Thiobacillus sp were isolated from aerobic sludge of distillery and dairy effluent treatment plant using standard methods of isolation and enrichment. Experiments were conducted using isolated cultures in batch bioreactor with initial sulfide concentration of 75 and 150 mg/l. The effect of initial sulfide concentration on the activity of isolated Thiobacillus sp was studied. Sulfide oxidizing capacity was also determined at different initial sulfide concentrations. The results from the study indicate the possible isolation of Thiobacillus cultures from native source and application in the full-scale reactor     

蓟运河汞污染化学地理特征

通过对蓟运河汞污染化学地理研究,查清了河水沉积物中汞和甲基汞的含量范围,水平和垂直变化,以及空间分布;研究了汞存在的形态;揭示了汞在河流中的富集区;作出了河流汞污染状况的分区,初步提出了治理河道汞污染的途径。     

稀有鮈鲫细胞凋亡相关基因的克隆及序列分析

细胞凋亡是调控机体发育和维护内环境稳定的重要机制。在克隆了稀有鮈鲫(Gobiocypris rarus)肝脏组织中凋亡相关的bcl-2、apaf-1、caspase-3和caspase-9基因的部分cDNA片段之后,进行了序列分析。结果表明,caspase-3和caspase-9基因片段与唐鱼(Tanichthys albonubes)相对应的核苷酸序列同源性最高,而bcl-2、apaf-1基因片段则分别与鮈鱼(Gobio gobio)和鲤鱼(Cyprinus carpio)相对应的核苷酸序列同源性最高,为99%和89%。基于稀有鮈鲫和已知物种的caspase-3基因核苷酸序列构建了系统发育树,发现稀有鮈鲫与唐鱼、斑马鱼(Danio rerio)的亲缘关系最近,而与金头鲷(Sparus aurata)、红鳍东方鲀(Takifugu rubripes)的亲缘关系较远。本研究为深入理解外源性化学物质对鱼类的毒理学机制及其生态健康风险评价提供科学数据,同时也为稀有鮈鲫在鲤科鱼类的分类及进化地位的研究提供分子水平的重要参考。     

Evaluating the effectiveness of marine actinobacterial extract and its mediated titanium dioxide nanoparticles in the degradation of azo dyes

Aim of the present study was to synthesize titanium dioxide nanoparticles （YiO2 NPs） from marine actinobacteria and to develop an eco-friendly azo-dye degradation method. A total of five actinobacterial isolates were isolated from Chennai marine sediments, Tamilnadu, India and analyzed for the synthesis of TiO2 NPs using titanium hydroxide. Among these, the isolate PSV 3 showed positive results for the synthesis of TiO2 NPs, which was confirmed by UV analysis. Further characterization of the synthesized TiO2 NPs was done using XRD, AFM and FI＇-IR analysis. Actinobacterial crude extract and synthesized TiO2 NPs was found efficient in degrading azo dye such as Acid Red 79 （AR-79） and Acid Red 80 （AR-80）. Degradation percentage was found to be 81% for AR-79, 83% for AR-80 using actinobacterial crude extract and 84% for AR-79, 85% for AR-80 using TiO2 NPs. Immobilized actinobacterial ceils showed 88% for AR-79 and 81% for AR- 80, dye degrading capacity. Degraded components were characterized by FT-IR and GC-MS analysis. The phytotoxicity test with 500 μg/mL of untreated dye showed remarkable phenotypic as well as cellular damage to Tagetes erecta plant. Comparatively no such damage was observed on plants by degraded dye components. In biotoxicity assay, treated dyes showed less toxic effect as compared to the untreated dyes.     

甲苯降解菌的分离、鉴定及其对甲苯的降解特性

从重庆钢铁集团焦化厂脱酚池车间污泥中分离纯化得到一株能以甲苯为惟一碳源和能源的革兰氏阴性菌。根据生理生化实验结果、菌落特征、菌体形态,初步鉴定为假单孢菌属。菌株的最佳生长条件为：pH7、温度35℃、加入量100mL培养基中加入60μL甲苯、接种量5．0％。考察了菌株对甲苯的降解特性,在甲苯质量浓度为150mg/L时,比降解速率达到0．211h^-1。     

使用高分辨色质联机AUTOSPEC-ULTIMA NT分析二噁英及呋喃

"二噁英"是指具有相似化学结构和生物特征的一族化合物,分别属于三大类别:多氯代二苯并二噁英(PC-DDs),多氯代二苯并呋喃(PCDFs)以及多氯联苯(PCBs).PCDDs和PCDFs无商业目的性生产,而是在大量的人类活动中产生的.自然过程也可以产生PCDDs和PCDFs.在过去的十年里,环境立法机构和企业一起致力于减少二噁英的排放.     

Problems of livestock development in the Himalayan region

Summary This paper outlines the complexities and problems of animal husbandry in the Himalayas of India. In particular, the climatic influences of temperature, rainfall and humidity are emphasised. A wide range of possible improvements to decrease livestock malnutrition and mortality are proposed.Dr J.C. Biswas, BSc, MVSc, works in the Animal Genetics and Breeding Laboratory; Dr R. Somvanshi, MVSc, FRCVS (Sweden) is Veterinary Pathologist in charge of the Clinical Pathology and Medicine Section in Livestock Production Research and Lt.Col. Dr G.S.C. Ranga Rao, MVSc, is Veterinary Parasitologist and Joint Director. All three work at the Indian Veterinary Research Institute.