Enhanced bio-decolorization of 1-amino-4-bromoanthraquinone-2-sulfonic acid by Sphingomonas xenophaga with nutrient amendment

Bacterial decolorization of anthraquinone dye intermediates is a slow process under aerobic conditions. To speed up the process, in the present study, effects of various nutrients on 1-amino-4-bromoanthraquinone-2-sulfonic acid (ABAS) decolorization by Sphingomonas xenophaga QYY were investigated. The results showed that peptone, yeast extract and casamino acid amendments promoted ABAS bio-decolorization. In particular, the addition of peptone and casamino acids could improve the decolorization activity of strain QYY. Further experiments showed that L-proline had a more significant accelerating effect on ABAS decolorization compared with other amino acids. L-Proline not only supported cell growth, but also significantly increased the decolorization activity of strain QYY. Membrane proteins of strain QYY exhibited ABAS decolorization activities in the presence of L-proline or reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, while this behavior was not observed in the presence of other amino acids. Moreover, the positive correlation between L-proline concentration and the decolorization activity of membrane proteins was observed, indicating that L-proline plays an important role in ABAS decolorization. The above findings provide us not only a novel insight into bacterial ABAS decolorization, but also an L-proline-supplemented bioaugmentation strategy for enhancing ABAS bio-decolorization.     

Distribution of nutrients and AOU in the Mediterranean Water (North Atlantic Ocean)

Water samples were collected in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean (33-37^° N and 11-16^° W) in May 1983, and vertical profiles of chemical and physical parameters allowed us to identify the different water masses. A significant difference in salinity and its maximum can be found at different places and depths, as a consequence of the spreading of the Mediterranean Water (MW) from the Strait of Gibraltar. The apparent oxygen utilization shows a correlation with nutrients in North Atlantic Central Water. The relative percentages of water masses were assessed in order to examine the depth of maximum influence of MW as a function of latitude and to apply this knowledge to the black scabbard fish long-line strategy. The long-line fishing depth location was adapted to the specific MW distribution of the different banks with improvements in the mean catch efficiency. The thickness of the MW prevalence layer has a pronounced decrease to the south. MW influence clearly sinks and decrease to south-west. The highest percentage of the MW was found in the Gorringe Bank area and the lowest in the Madeira area.     

Renovation of food-processing wastewater by a Riparian wetland

Treated wastewater from a food-processing plant, together with intermittent outflow from a hypereutrophic pond, were discharged over a 20-year period to a cattail-dominated wetland and hence to a small stream. Organics and nutriet levels in the effluent were comparable to levels in domestic wastewater. Fifteen variables were monitored upstream and downstream from the plant over 18 months. Means for most variables were slightly higher downstream, but differences between stations were not statistically significant. Wetland processing of nitrogen was markedly affected by a change from drought to flood conditions. After accounting for dilution, the overall effect of the wetland on the effluent was to reduce biological oxygen demand 43.7%, ammonia N 46.3%, nitrate/nitrite N 17.4%, and conductivity 15.6%. However, total suspended solids were increased 41.4%, total organic nitrogen 28.8%, and total phosphorus 24.7%. It was concluded that the wetland effectively renovated the effluent but the removal efficiency would be improved if the effluent were pretreated to reduce phosphorus and dispersed to increase residence time in the wetland.     

FORMS OF NITROGEN (NO 3 - -N; NO 2 - -N AND NH 2 CONH 2 -N) AND THEIR RELATIONS TO A.O.U. IN THE INDIAN COASTAL WATERS OF ARABIAN SEA

The distribution of three important dissolved forms of nitrogen, viz. nitrate, nitrite and urea in the surface and bottom water samples collected from 27 selected hydrographic profiles, in the Arabian Sea, along the west coast of India is described. Of the three forms, nitrate concentrations were the highest and comparatively higher concentrations were observed in the bottom water. Decomposition of organic matter resulting in the release of the thermodynamically stable nitrogen species, i.e. nitrate, may be the major factor resulting in higher nitrate concentrations at these depths, where the water is also characterized by low values of dissolved oxygen and temperature. The significant positive correlation between A.O.U. and nitrate of the bottom water samples emphasizes the role of oxidative decomposition of organic matter which plays an active role in reducing the oxygen concentrations below the theoretical values since at this depth ( ≈200 m) the net production is taken to be zero. This is also evidenced by the negative correlation of nitrate with dissolved oxygen and temperature, for the bottom samples.     

Relationships between nutrients and macroalgal biomass in a brazilian coastal lagoon: the impact of a lock construction

The Piratininga Lagoon is a coastal, choked, and brackish ecosystem in SE Brazil, where uncontrolled discharge of domestic sewage led to eutrophication, increasing massive proliferation of benthic macroalgae, and decrease of the lagoon mean depth. In 1992, a dam was constructed by the local Municipality at its tidal channel aiming at stabilising its water level. Main physico-chemical parameters, together with macroalgae biomass, nutrient concentrations in the water column, particulate organic carbon, and chlorophyll a were recorded monthly at 4 sampling stations within the Piratininga lagoon from April 1994 to April 1995. The data, compared with “before-lock” existing studies, show that nutrients and chlorophyll a concentrations significantly increased after the lock construction. Based on the functioning of the ecosystem, we propose to harvest the algal mats before their decomposition period in order to partly remove the nutrient stocks from the lagoon and the future ecosystem modelling to predict the impact of natural and anthropogenic eutrophication.     

Field Trial Assessment of Biological,Chemical, and Physical Responses of Soil to Tillage Intensity,Fertilization, and Grazing

Soil microbial populations can fluctuate in response to environmental changes and, therefore, are often used as biological indicators of soil quality. Soil chemical and physical parameters can also be used as indicators because they can vary in response to different management strategies. A long-term field trial was conducted to study the effects of different tillage systems (NT: no tillage, DH: disc harrow, and MP: moldboard plough), P fertilization (diammonium phosphate), and cattle grazing (in terms of crop residue consumption) in maize (Zea mays L.), sunflower (Heliantus annuus L.), and soybean (Glycine max L.) on soil biological, chemical, and physical parameters. The field trial was conducted for four crop years (2000/2001, 2001/2002, 2002/2003, and 2003/2004). Soil populations of Actinomycetes, Trichoderma spp., and Gliocladium spp. were 49% higher under conservation tillage systems, in soil amended with diammonium phosphate (DAP) and not previously grazed. Management practices also influenced soil chemical parameters, especially organic matter content and total N, which were 10% and 55% higher under NT than under MP. Aggregate stability was 61% higher in NT than in MP, 15% higher in P-fertilized soil, and also 9% higher in not grazed strips, bulk density being 12% lower in NT systems compared with MP. DAP application and the absence of grazing also reduced bulk density (3%). Using conservation tillage systems, fertilizing crops with DAP, and avoiding grazing contribute to soil health preservation and enhanced crop production.     

The role and distribution of total suspended solids in the macrotidal coastal waters of Korea

Spatial and temporal distribution patterns of total suspended solids (TSS) in the shallow and macrotidal regions of the Korean peninsula indicated there were significant changes in TSS concentrations. These were seasonally influenced by the wind, river input and tidal cycle. There were high TSS values at estuarine and river mouth stations and during low tide due to the re-suspension of bottom sediment by strong wind action during winter months, in addition the land input through rivers and strong tidal current during ebbing. Monthly mean values of TSS significantly correlated with wind speed and nitrate concentration (p < 0.01). This indicated that the resuspension of surface sediment was a more important source of TSS than the river input, and that nitrate was introduced into the water column during the resuspension process. TSS were seven times higher at low tide than in high tide. Light penetration was significantly inhibited by TSS; as >98% of incident light was absorbed within 2 m and zero photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) under 2 m in the estuarine stations during winter. Removal of heavy metals and nutrients by TSS in the water column was evident. Over 80% of the initial concentration of nutrients was removed within 10 min under various concentrations of TSS and also TSS contained significantly higher concentration of heavy metals than surface sediment. The concentration levels of nutrients and chemical oxygen demand in the west coast were comparable with the East and South Sea, even the major rivers in the Korean peninsula flow into the West Sea with major pollutant loadings into the coastal areas. High concentration of TSS is likely to contribute to the removal process of these pollutants, resulting in relatively lower levels of nutrients and organic materials in these coastal waters.     

Estimating nutrient loadings using chemical mass balance approach

The river Hindon is one of the important tributaries of river Yamuna in western Uttar Pradesh (India) and carries pollution loads from various municipal and industrial units and surrounding agricultural areas. The main sources of pollution in the river include municipal wastes from Saharanpur, Muzaffarnagar and Ghaziabad urban areas and industrial effluents of sugar, pulp and paper, distilleries and other miscellaneous industries through tributaries as well as direct inputs. In this paper, chemical mass balance approach has been used to assess the contribution from non-point sources of pollution to the river. The river system has been divided into three stretches depending on the land use pattern. The contribution of point sources in the upper and lower stretches are 95 and 81% respectively of the total flow of the river while there is no point source input in the middle stretch. Mass balance calculations indicate that contribution of nitrate and phosphate from non-point sources amounts to 15.5 and 6.9% in the upper stretch and 13.1 and 16.6% in the lower stretch respectively. Observed differences in the load along the river may be attributed to uncharacterized sources of pollution due to agricultural activities, remobilization from or entrainment of contaminated bottom sediments, ground water contribution or a combination of these sources.     

Assessment of the Quality Characteristics of Two Lakes (Koronia and Volvi) of N. Greece

Quality parameters from 17 sampling stations from Lake Koronia and 18 from Lake Volvi were determined during sampling period of one year. Physicochemical parameters (pH, conductivity, DO) did not show remarkable differences neither between sampling sites nor between sampling periods. Nutrient concentrations (nitrogen and phosphorus compounds) were higher in lake Koronia than in Volvi showing relatively small temporal and spatial variations. As far as heavy metals in sediments, lake Koronia is considerably more polluted than Volvi lake especially with the metals Fe, Mn, Zn, Pb and Cd. The mean total concentrations of metals in lake Koronia decrease in the order Mn > Zn > Cr > Pb > Cu > Fe > Cd. The mean total concentrations of metals in lake Volvi decrease in the order Mn > Zn > Cr > Cu > Pb > Fe $>$ Cd.     

烟台四十里湾营养物质产生特征及影响分析

2004年5月3日至10日,烟台四十里湾养殖区发生了由棕囊藻、夜光藻剧增而引发的赤潮,此前,在1998年8月中旬至9月中旬,该湾约五十平方公里的近岸海域,也曾发生了红色裸甲藻剧增而引发的赤潮。暴发赤潮的条件仍可认为是丰富的营养物质基础和适宜的环境条件。初步分析结果表明,赤潮形成所必须的营养物质主要是养殖粪便及其废弃物提供的,其次是陆岸生活污水提供的;环境条件是风、雨引起了水体扰动;雨过天晴水温偏高;大雨造成海水盐度降低;养殖过密,海流不畅对污染物扩散不利。