Cytotoxicity of the soluble and insoluble fractions of atmospheric fine particulate matter

Inhaled atmospheric fine particulate matter(PM_(2.5)) includes soluble and insoluble fractions,and each fraction can interact with cells and cause adverse effects.PM_(2.5) samples were collected in Jinan,China,and the soluble and insoluble fractions were separated.According to physiochemical characterization,the soluble fraction mainly contains watersoluble ions and organic acids,and the insoluble fraction mainly contains kaolinite,calcium carbonate and some organic carbon.The interaction between PM_(2.5) and model cell membranes was examined with a quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation(QCM-D) to quantify PM_(2.5) attachment on membranes and membrane disruption.The cytotoxicity of the total PM_(2.5) and the soluble and insoluble fractions,was investigated.Negatively charged PM_(2.5) can adhere to the positively charged membranes and disrupt them.PM_(2.5)also adheres to negatively charged membranes but does not cause membrane rupture.Therefore,electrostatic repulsion does not prevent PM_(2.5) attachment,but electrostatic attraction induces remarkable membrane rupture.The human lung epithelial cell line A549 was used for cytotoxicity assessment.The detected membrane leakage,cellular swelling and blebbing indicated a cell necrosis process.Moreover,the insoluble PM_(2.5) fraction caused a higher cell mortality and more serious cell membrane damage than the soluble fraction.The levels of reactive oxygen species(ROS) enhanced by the two fractions were not significantly different.The findings provide more information to better understand the mechanism of PM_(2.5) cytotoxicity and the effect of PM_(2.5) solubility on cytotoxicity.     

Molecular behavior and interactions with microbes during anaerobic degradation of bio-derived DOM in waste leachate

It is the key to control bio-derived dissolved organic matters (DOM) in order to reduce the effluent concentration of wastewater treatment, especially for waste leachate with high organic contaminants. In the present study, the anaerobic degradation of aerobically stabilized DOM was investigated with DOM substrate isolated through electrodialysis. The degradation of bio-derived DOM was confirmed by reduction of 15% of total organic carbon in 100 days. We characterized the molecular behavior of bio-derived DOM by coupling molecular and biological information analysis. Venn based Sankey diagram of mass features showed the transformation of bio-derived DOM mass features. Occurrence frequency analysis divided mass features into six categories so as to distinguish the fates of intermediate metabolites and persistent compounds. Reactivity continuum model and machine learning technologies realized the semi-quantitative determination on the kinetics of DOM mass features in the form of pseudo-first order, and confirmed the reduction of inert mass features. Furthermore, network analysis statistically establish relationship between DOM mass features and microbes to identify the active microbes that are able to utilize bio-derived DOM. This work confirmed the biological technology is still effective in controlling recalcitrant bio-derived DOM during wastewater treatment.     

Effect of Cross-Linking Waste Protein with Dialdehydes on Its Biodegradation Under Anaerobic Conditions

Most native polymers used in processing and application technologies are admittedly disposable from the environment in a biologic manner, but products possess low mechanical strength. One of the paths to increasing this attribute (if feasible) is their cross-linking, which may, however, affect their readiness to biodegradation. In the presented work this condition was observed on the example of waste protein (Hykol B) cross-linking by means of glutardialdehyde and glyoxal. Degree and course of cross-linking were determined through impedance spectroscopy. The objective of this work also was to obtain data for constructing a sensor capable of following the cross-linking course in real time, for potential industrial application of Hykol in continuous production. Impedance spectroscopy proved to be applicable even to this kind of material marked by considerable water content and exhibiting relatively high electric conductivity; so far it had been used only for materials of low conductivity. An aqueous environment inoculated with digested anaerobic sludge from a municipal wastewater treatment plant was selected for modeling anaerobic conditions. The relation was studied between cross-linking degree given by content of cross-linking agent (determined by impedance spectroscopy) and biodegradation degree under anaerobic conditions. It was confirmed that network density as given by quantity of added agent not only reduced breakdown degree but also slowed the course of the process. This fact is particularly obvious with cross-linking by means of glyoxal; network density is thus dependent on type of employed substance, which affect type and structure of created network. That not merely forms an obstacle during polymer swelling and dissolution but also prevents access of bacteria to source of metabolized organic carbon.     

北京市不同地区土壤中的球囊霉素荧光特征及其与土壤理化性质的关系

球囊霉素相关土壤蛋白是一种菌根真菌产生的耐热糖蛋白,因其与微生物密切联系而常用来表征土壤的健康状况.由于球囊霉素相关土壤蛋白的提取过程中容易产生干扰物质,影响了这个指标在土壤状态评估方面的进一步应用.本研究采集了北京北部山区,中部城区以及南部郊区的土壤样品,使用三维荧光-平行因子模型技术解析球囊霉素相关土壤蛋白中可溶性有机物的荧光特征,将土壤类球囊霉素蛋白分解为5个荧光组分,分别为微生物源UVC腐殖质类物质、UVA人为来源腐殖质类物质、微生物来源的氧化醌物质、土壤富里酸类物质和类蛋白物质,蛋白质在其中所占比例为0~20%.不同采样区域的荧光特征比较显示,球囊霉素土壤相关土壤蛋白的5个荧光组分总体稳定,与山区相比较,城区和郊区的类蛋白质组分受人类活动影响降低,氧化醌类物质组分含量升高.不同采样点的理化特征结果显示,以城市建设和耕作为代表的人类活动减少了土壤中的含水率、有机质含量以及总氮含量.比较球囊霉素相关土壤蛋白的荧光特征与土壤理化特征的相关性结果显示,球囊霉素土壤相关蛋白浓度、UVA腐殖质组分、UVC腐殖质组分与土壤有机质含量、总氮含量显著相关,具有表征土壤健康状况的潜力.     

Cobalt-induced oxidative stress in brain, liver and kidney of goldfish Carassius auratus

Cobalt is an essential element, but at high concentrations it is toxic. In addition to its well-known function as an integral part of cobalamin (vitamin B₁₂), cobalt has recently been shown to be a mimetic of hypoxia and a stimulator of the production of reactive oxygen species. The present study investigated the responses of goldfish, Carassius auratus, to 96 h exposure to 50, 100 or 150 mg L⁻¹ Co²⁺ in aquarium water (administered as CoCl₂). The concentrations of cobalt in aquaria did not change during fish exposure. Exposure to cobalt resulted in increased levels of lipid peroxides in brain (a 111% increase after exposure to 150 mg L⁻¹ Co²⁺) and liver (30-66% increases after exposure to 50-150 mg L⁻¹ Co²⁺), whereas the content of protein carbonyls rose only in kidney (by 112%) after exposure to 150 mg L⁻¹ cobalt. Low molecular mass thiols were depleted by 24-41% in brain in response to cobalt treatment. The activities of primary antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase, were substantially suppressed in brain and liver as a result of Co²⁺ exposure, whereas in kidney catalase activity was unchanged and SOD activity increased. The activities of glutathione-related enzymes, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione-S-transferase, did not change as a result of cobalt exposure, but glutathione reductase activity increased by ∼40% and ∼70% in brain and kidney, respectively. Taken together, these data show that exposure of fish to Co²⁺ ions results in the development of oxidative stress and the activation of defense systems in different goldfish tissues.     

Biochemical studies on the terrestrial snail,Eubania vermiculata (müller)treated with some pesticides

Abstract

The in vivo effects of methomyl, thiodicarb and metaldehyde on total soluble proteins, total lipids and glycogen content, in addition, the activity of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, (GOT), (GPT) glutamic pyruvic transaminase and catalase (CAT) enzymes of terrestrial E. vermiculata snails was studied. The experimental snails were treated with low concentration of 0.2% bran bait w/w of the pesticides for a period of 1,3,5,7 and 10 days. The results showed that methomyl and thiodicarb lead to significant reduction in total soluble proteins, lipids, and glycogen content, while significant increases in the activity of all enzymes tested were noted. Metaldehyde treatment showed no significant effect on total soluble proteins, lipids and GOT level, whereas a significant increase in GPT and CAT enzymes was observed. Also, metaldehyde resulted a significant reduction in glycogen content of snails.     

MIEX~预处理对水源水中藻源DON的去除效能及机理

利用小试试验研究了磁性离子交换树脂预处理(MIEX~)对高藻水源水中的溶解性有机氮(DON)的去除效能,并通过分子量分布测定、双向电泳等手段初步分析了其作用机理.结果表明,MIEX~预处理对DON具有较好地去除效果,并可有效强化混凝工艺的处理效能.投加量为15m L/L时,MIEX~预处理可提升DON去除率20%;以铜绿微囊藻为主要种属的高藻水源水中藻类蛋白种类不低于230种,且大多数处于酸性端,分子量区间主要分布于15~40Ku、65~75Ku,处于MIEX~预处理可去除的分子量区间,从而具有较好的去除效果.综上所述,MIEX~预处理可以作为强化去除高藻水源水中DON的一种方法.