估算天津环境中γ-HCH归宿的逸度模型

以全天津市为研究区域,利用稳态假设的逸度模型,用Matlab软件计算了γ-HCH(林丹)在环境各相中的浓度和相间迁移通量.γ-HCH在天津气、水、土壤、沉积物、鱼、作物、蔬菜各相中的浓度分别为1.57×10^-11、7.95×10^-7、1.17 × 10^-4、4.58×10^-4、6.03×10^-4、1.60×10^-4和6.42×10^-5mol/m³,在数量级上与实测值吻合很好.估算结果表明农业施用和农药厂废水是该地区环境中γ-HCH最主要的来源,最大的汇是土壤和沉积相(占环境中总量的99%),最主要的迁移过程是水-沉、气-土的扩散和沉降,土壤和沉积物中的降解是γ-HCH消失的最主要途径.     

以梭鱼金属硫蛋白基因表达监测海洋重金属污染

分离了梭鱼金属硫蛋白132个碱基对应44个氨基酸的部分基因序列,以此为基础建立了分析梭鱼金属硫蛋白基因表达的实时定量PCR方法,并用于分析渤海南戴河和大神堂近岸海域野生梭鱼金属硫蛋白基因的表达.结果表明,南戴河野生梭鱼金属硫蛋白基因的表达水平(雄鱼:0.012 ± 0.0064 copies/copy β-actin;雌鱼:0.0099 ± 0.0042 copies/copy β-actin)明显高于大神堂野生梭鱼的表达水平(雄鱼:0.0017± 0.0011 copies/copy β-actin;雌鱼:0.0014 ± 0.00095 copies/copy β-actin).该结果与两地野生梭鱼体内重金属残留水平相一致,提示梭鱼金属硫蛋白基因可作为监测海洋重金属污染的敏感标志物之一.     

Design and use of group-specific primers and probes for real-time quantitative PCR

Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) has gained popularity as a technique to detect and quantify a specific group of target microorganisms from various environmental samples including soil, water, sediments, and sludge. Although qPCR is a very useful technique for nucleic acid quantification, accurately quantifying the target microbial group strongly depends on the quality of the primer and probe used. Many aspects of conducting qPCR assays have become increasingly routine and automated; however, one of the most important aspects, designing and selecting primer and probe sets, is often a somewhat arcane process. In many cases, failed or non-specific amplification can be attributed to improperly designed primer-probe sets. This paper is intended to provide guidelines and general principles for designing group-specific primers and probes for qPCR assays. We demonstrate the effectiveness of these guidelines by reviewing the use of qPCR to study anaerobic processes and biologic nutrient removal processes. qPCR assays using group-specific primers and probes designed with this method, have been used to successfully quantify 16S ribosomal Ribonucleic Acid (16S rRNA) gene copy numbers from target methanogenic and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria in various laboratory- and full-scale biologic processes. Researchers with a good command of primer and probe design can use qPCR as a valuable tool to study biodiversity and to develop more efficient control strategies for biologic processes.     

The correlation of total and extractable heavy metals from soil and domestic sewage sludge and their transfer to maize ( Zea mays L.) plants

A study to understand the mobility and transport of heavy metals (HMs) from soil and soil amended with sewage sludge to maize plants was carried out. The total and ethylenediaminetetraaceticacid (EDTA)-extractable HMs in agricultural soil and untreated domestic sewage sludge samples, and the correlation between the total and extractable metals in soil and sewage sludge were carried out. Pot experiments were performed to study the transfer of HMs to maize grains, grown in soil (control) and in soil amended with sewage sludge (test samples). The total and extractable HMs in soil, sewage sludge, and maize grains were analysed by FAAS/ETAAS (flame atomic absorption spectrometer/electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometer) after digestion in microwave oven. Statistically significant correlations were obtained between the total contents of Cu, Cd, As and their respective extractable fractions in soil, while in domestic wastewater sludge (DWS) the better correlation was observed only for Ni and Cd. The edible part of maize plants (grains) from test samples presented high concentration of Zn, Pb, Ni, Cd, Cu, As, and Cr concentrations (80.7–85.6, 3.8–3.95, 2.35–2.5, 0.75–0.82, 3.21–3.29, 0.23–0.27, and 0.22–0.29?mg?kg^?1, respectively). Good correlations were found between metals in exchangeable fractions of both soil and DWS and total metals in control and test samples of maize grains. The transfer factor of all HMs from DWS to maize grains was also determined.     

A simple and robust method for determination of neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss) oil in neem oil coated urea

The production of neem oil coated urea (NOCU), a technology developed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, has been grown to over 2.0 million tons per year. The estimation of neem oil content in NOCU is important due to its significance in ensuring agronomic efficiency. Therefore, this study was taken up to develop a simple method for the determination of neem oil in NOCU. The procedure involves extraction of neem oil from NOCU; saponification of extracted oil; oxidation of released glycerol to formaldehyde, and subsequent conversion of formaldehyde to a dihydrolutidine derivative. Its concentration was determined spectrophotometrically. The recoveries of neem oil from NOCU with oil load of 500 and 1000?ppm were 87.6?±?3.0% and 90.0?±?4.8% respectively with direct method; and improved to 92.6?±?4.0% and 96.7?±?3.8% after including the in situ purification. A simple method based on the Hantzsch reaction was developed for the determination of neem oil in NOCU. This method is superior to earlier methods in terms of sensitivity, simplicity, and time required.     

Charge‐transfer chromatographic study of the interaction of commercial pesticides with hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin

The interaction between 33 commercial pesticides with hydroxypropyI‐β‐cyclodextrin (HPBCD) was studied by charge‐transfer reversed‐phase thin‐layer chromatography using aqueous sodium chloride solutions as eluents. Each pesticide interacted with HPBCD, their lipophilicity linearly decreased with increasing HPBCD concentration, the pesticide ‐ HPBCD complex (probably inclusion complex) always being more hydrophilic than the uncomplexed pesticide. In many cases the retention of pesticide increased with increasing concentration of salt in the eluent. This effect can be tentatively explained by the suppression of the dissociation of the polar groups in the solute molecules resulting in increased apparent lipophilicity. No significant correlation was found between lipophilicity and complex stability or between salting‐out effect and lipophilicity, that is other than hydrophobic forces are involved in the pesticide ‐ HPBCD interaction.     

Trophic transfer of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polychlorinated biphenyls in a tidal freshwater marsh

The John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) at Tinicum Marsh contains one of the last remaining tidal freshwater marsh communities along the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River Estuary. The marsh receives a significant load of nutrients and sediment-associated contaminants and is hypothesised to act as an effective trap for these chemicals. The goal of this study was to quantify the levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at various trophic levels at two sites within Tinicum Marsh and assess the factors important in determining their bioaccumulation and trophic transfer. For both PCBs and PBDEs, lipid variation for all species was a large factor in determining contaminant body burden. Also, concentrations in biota increased with increasing trophic level as determined by nitrogen isotope analysis (δ¹⁵N values) at the downstream site within Tinicum Marsh. This trend was less apparent at the upstream site and may be due to differences in feeding behaviours among species between the two sites and/or differences in carbon and nitrogen sources and recycling. These data are valuable in assisting bioaccumulation/trophic transfer studies and serve as benchmarks to which future PCB and PBDE concentrations will be compared.     

Facilitating sustainable development in Chile: a survey of suitable energy technologies

Sustainable development in developing countries is the main aim of the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). However, in the present context, uncertainty prevails as to whether the CDM is actually achieving its aims in terms of achieving sustainable development and to what extent. Chile has several renewable energy and energy efficiency options with significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions abatement potential that are not yet financially and economically competitive. In order to be able to identify potential CDM projects and to formulate a series of possible investment strategies with a sustainable development component, it is crucial to establish a clear understanding of the host country's needs and priorities and the suitable sustainable energy technologies to meet these needs. The main scope of this paper is to present results obtained from an elaborated stakeholder assessment on Chile's high priority energy needs and sustainable energy technologies fulfilling these needs in order to assist Chile in finding ways of encouraging technology transfer that would contribute to low-carbon sustainable energy development.     

长江三角洲城市内河环境治理的居民支付意愿比较研究 ——上海、南京与杭州实例调查

应用意愿价值评估法(CVM)的技术调查上海、南京和杭州城市内河环境治理的居民支付意愿,并探讨研究结果是否在城市间保持稳定.基于1258份问卷的统计分析,结果显示:上海、南京和杭州居民的支付意愿均值分别为20.5,25.4,20.3元/(户×月);进一步的线性对数模型分析结果表明,收入、环境意识等变量在3城市都呈现显著影响,而户籍、教育等因素在各城市模型中存在显著性差异;3城市混合数据模型显示,南京样本支付意愿显著高于其他2城市样本,杭州与上海调查样本无显著性差异.上述结果揭示了不同城市居民对城市内河治理的支付意愿呈现稳定性,为意愿价值评估法在我国不同区域间的“效益转移”研究提供了实证支持.但另一方面,参数模型表现出一定的差异,需要对模型作进一步的优化.     

Efficiency of mercapto flavor compounds in removing acrylamide under high temperature and low humidity conditions

Acrylamide (AA) is a potential human carcinogen, genotoxicant, and neurotoxicant. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the ability of mercapto flavor compounds to remove AA released from consumer packaging into food products. Four mercapto flavor compounds including 1,2-ethanedithiol, 1-butanethiol, 2-methyl-3-furanthiol, and 2-furanmethanethiol were employed to extract AA in model system using high temperature and low humidity. Our study showed that mercaptans were effective in eliminating AA in our model system. In order to remove 0.2 μmol AA, the optimal conditions in the reaction system were mercaptan flavor chemicals at 5 μmol, temperature 180 °C, and reaction time 25 min. In the presence of a higher pH, the greater was the amount of AA eliminated. Evidence indicates that employment of mercapto flavor chemicals under certain temperature and pH conditions is a reliable method to remove any unwanted AA from food products.