1H-NMR-based metabolomic study on toxicity of methomyl and methidathion in fish

A ¹H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy with multivariate analysis was applied to detect the toxicity of antiacetylcholinesterase insecticides, methomyl (methyl (1E)-N-(methylcarbamoyloxy)ethanimidothioate) and methidathion (3-(dimethoxyphosphinothioyl sulfanylmethyl)-5-methoxy-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-one), using zebrafish (Danio rerio) and Chinese bleak (Aphyocypris chinensis). Generally, methomyl and methidathion have been believed not to highly accumulate in fish tissues. However, these pesticides showed their toxicity by altering patterns of whole-body metabolites in neurotransmitter balance, energy metabolism, oxidative stress, and muscle maintenance in low concentrations. We used Pearson correlation analysis to contextualize the metabolic markers in pesticide treated groups. We observed that the positive correlations of choline with acetate and betaine in untreated control were shifted to null correlations showing acetylcholinesterase specific toxicity. This research demonstrated the applicability and potential of NMR metabolomics in detecting toxic effects of insecticide with a modicum of concentrations in aquatic environment.     

In vivo and in vitro metabolism of tobacco-specific nitrosamine, 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), by the freshwater planarian, Dugesia japonica

Cigarette smoke is a risk factor for human health, and many studies were conducted to investigate its adverse effects on humans and other mammals. However, since large amounts of cigarette products are produced and consumed, it is possible that tobacco chemicals can end up in aquatic environments through several routes, thus influencing aquatic organisms. In this study, the presence of tobacco-specific nitrosamine (TSNA), 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), in aquatic environment was demonstrated. Since toxic effects on and distribution patterns of tobacco chemicals in aquatic organisms were rarely studied, after results of an acute toxicity pretest were obtained, experiment was conducted to investigate the bioaccumulation pattern of NNK and distribution patterns of its metabolites, mainly 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol (NNAL), in NNK-treated freshwater planarians, Dugesia japonica. Results from in vivo and in vitro studies showed that NNK was readily converted to NNAL through the carbonyl reduction in bodies of NNK-treated planarians. Tissue concentrations of both chemicals increased in time- and dose-dependent manners. Furthermore, we examined the end products of NNK/NNAL α-hydroxylation in NNK-treated planarians, but only 1-(3-pyridyl)-1,4-butanediol was detected, suggesting that NNK metabolism in planarians partially differs from that in mammalian systems. This is the first report on NNK metabolism in an aquatic organism and can be used as a foundation for developing freshwater planarians as a new in vivo model for the study of NNK toxicology in the future.     

Long-term toxicology and carcinogenicity of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol

Carcinogenesis bioassays were conducted by giving 2,4,6-trichlorophenol [2,4,6-TCP] in feed to groups of 50 male and female Fischer rats and male B6C3F1 mice for two years. Dietary concentrations were 0 [20/group], 5000 [0.5%], or 10,000 [1%] ppm. Female mice began with 10,000 and 20,000 ppm but after 38 weeks were lowered due to reduced body weights to 2500 and 5000 ppm for 67 weeks; exposures averaged 5200 and 10,400 ppm. Adverse effects at two years were leukocytosis and monocytosis of peripheral blood and hyperplasia of bone marrow in both sexes of rats. In mice, liver toxicity, including individual liver cell abnormalities, focal areas of cellular alteration, and focal and nodular areas of hyperplasia were commonly present. Regarding carcinogenic activity, TCP caused leukemias/lymphomas in male rats, and possibly in female rats and female mice as well, and induced liver tumors in male and female mice. Using NTP categories of evidence indicates ‘clear evidence of carcinogenicity’ for male rats [hematopoietic system tumors]; ‘equivocal evidence of carcinogenicity’ for female rats [hematopoietic system tumors]; ‘clear evidence of carcinogenicity’ for male and female mice [liver tumors].     

芘降解菌DY-1的条件优化及降解动力学特性分析

选用已筛选出以芘为唯一碳源的假单胞菌DY-1(Pseudomonas sp.)作为芘降解菌,采用摇瓶振荡培养方法,研究了不同环境条件对菌DY-1降解芘效率的影响以及降解动力学特性。结果表明,在含芘50 mg/L的条件下培养9 d,降解率达83.2%。最适宜温度为30℃,pH值为7.5,摇床转速为120 r/min,接种量为1.5 mL;在不同培养条件下芘的降解符合一级动力学模型;低浓度Zn2+,Cd2+,Cr6+的存在对芘降解效果影响较小,Cu2+,Pb2+对芘的降解有较强的毒性;加入低浓度有机物质,蔗糖可提高DY-1芘的降解;低浓度萘或蒽的存在可促进芘的降解。     

基于G1赋权模型的生态城市发展管理评价

以生态城市的发展管理评价作为研究对象,界定了发展管理评价的内涵,认为其具有相互作用和对称破缺等非线性特征,适宜于采用G1赋权模型,以崇明生态岛为例做出了应用研究,初步实现了生态城市发展管理的非线性评价。结果显示,崇明生态岛建设的管理能力指数达到67.81,管理机制指数只有52.39,公众参与指数是59.91,综合管理指数是59.65,表明可持续发展管理水平接近于良好可持续性。鉴于"投资力度超强,管理深度不够"的失衡特征,亟待管理改进。为此,给出主要建议如下:明确综合管理定位,大力推进管理机制的创新和完善,强化社会参与机制;明确行动方略,改变投资扩张型的建设体制模式和运作机制;明确政策重点,推进属地管理和流域管理、强化空间集约管理、统筹城乡数字化网络化发展。应用研究显示,G1赋权模型是生态城市发展管理工作实现非线性评价的有效途径之一,可以接近其非线性判断需求,科学揭示管理诸要素的属性特征和相互关系,有助于合理反映当地管理水平并提出有针对性的改进建议。     

What determines the breadth and depth of Zambia's backward linkages to copper mining? The role of public policy and value chain dynamics

This paper investigates the dynamics of upstream linkages development to copper mining in Zambia. The breadth and depth of the local mining supply chain was deeply shaped by policies adopted in the 1990s under the Structural Adjustment Programme. These policies succeeded in attracting much-needed FDI in the mining sector, including Chinese and Indian FDI, but had a negative impact on the level of value-addition undertaken by local suppliers. In the post-privatisation era, the dynamics of the local supply chain suggest that supply firms' upgrading and sales growth were determined by firm ownership and value chain governance. In fact, forward linkages to buyers other than Chinese and Indian mining companies, and backward linkages to parent companies and technology providers were critical in supporting supply firms' success in the mining value chain.     

Sorption of acidic organic solute onto kaolinitic soils from methanol-water mixtures

The fate of the acidic organic solute from the soil-water-solvent system is not well-understood. In this study, the effect of the acidic functional group of organic solute in the sorption from cosolvent system was evaluated. The sorption of naphthalene (NAP) and 1-naphthoic acid (1-NAPA) by three kaolinitic soils and two model sorbents (kaolinite and humic acid) were measured as functions of the methanol volume fractions (f _c ≤ 0.4) and ionic compositions (CaCl₂ and KCl). The solubility of 1-NAPA was also measured in various ionic compositions. The sorption data were interpreted using the cosolvency-induced sorption model. The K _m values (= the linear sorption coefficient) of NAP with kaolinitic soil for both ionic compositions was log linearly decreased with f _c. However, the K _m values of 1-NAPA with both ionic compositions remained relatively constant over the f _c range. For the model sorbent, the K _m values of 1-NAPA with kaolinite for the KCl system and with humic acid for both ionic compositions decreased with f _c, while the sorption of 1-NAPA with kaolinite for the CaCl₂ system was increased with f _c. From the solubility data of 1-NAPA with f _c, no significant difference was observed with the different ionic compositions, indicating an insignificant change in the aqueous activity of the liquid phase. In conclusion, the enhanced 1-NAPA sorption, greater than that predicted from the cosolvency-induced model, was due to an untraceable interaction between the carboxylate and hydrophilic soil domain in the methanol-water system. Therefore, in order to accurately predict the environmental fate of acidic pesticides and organic solutes, an effort to quantitatively incorporate the enhanced hydrophilic sorption into the current cosolvency-induced sorption model is required.     

Metabolism of 14C‐carbaryl and 14C‐1‐naphthol in moist and flooded soils

Abstract

The metabolism of ¹⁴C‐carbaryl and ¹⁴C‐1‐naphthol in moist and flooded soils was studied in a continuous flow‐through system over a period of 28 days permitting ¹⁴C‐mass balance. The percent distribution of radiocarbon in organic volatiles, carbon dioxide, extractable and non‐extractable (bound) fractions of soils were determined. Organic volatiles could not be detected in both carbaryl and 1‐naphthol treated soils. More of ¹⁴CO₂ (25.6%) was evolved from moist than flooded soil (15.1%) treated with carbaryl. However, the mineralization of ¹⁴C‐1‐naphthol was negligible. The extractable radiocarbon was more in flooded soil (28.9%) than moist soil (5.5%) from carbaryl treatment. Less than one percent was present as parent compound, whereas carbaryl was mainly metabolized to 5‐hydroxy carbaryl in moist soil and to 4‐ and 5‐hydroxy carbaryl in flooded soil. The extractable radiocarbon amounted to 18.2 and 24.3% in moist and flooded soils respectively and the parent compound was less than one percent with 1‐naphthol treatment. Most of the radiocarbon was found as soil bound residues; the formation being more with 1‐naphthol than carbaryl. Humin fraction of the soil organic matter contributed most to soil bound residues of both carbaryl and 1‐naphthol.     

Attractancy evaluation of ceralure‐B1 isomer via field captures of mediterranean fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Abstract

Commercially prepared ceralure‐B1, an attractant for the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae), was evaluated in trapping tests by comparison with commercial ceralure and trimedlure. Jackson traps were used for medfly captures. The residual ceralure‐B1, ceralure, and trimedlure contents of aged dispensers were determined. The results of this study show that male medfly captures from traps with ceralure‐B1 were as high or higher than male medfly captures from traps with twice the quantity of ceralure or trimedlure. The use of regioselectively synthesized ceralure‐B1, enriched in B1, as a source of a more potent attractant than commercial ceralure and as a more persistent male medfly attractant than trimedlure is reported.     

呼吸计量法对甲醇和葡萄糖为基质的ASM1参数测定

污水水质和污泥特性不同,活性污泥1号模型(ASM 1)参数的测定结果也不相同。研究以甲醇和葡萄糖为基质,对分别经过甲醇和葡萄糖驯化的活性污泥,通过呼吸计量法测定高食微比、中食微比和零食微比下的氧利用速率(OUR)随时间变化的曲线。确定了异养菌产率系数(YH)、异养菌最大比增长速率(μ^H)和衰减系数(bH),并根据YH、μ^H和bH的测定结果和对中食微比下OUR曲线的数值拟合确定了异养菌半饱和常数(ks)、最大比水解速率(kh)和慢速可生物降解底物水解的半饱和常数(KX)。研究结果表明,在20℃下,采用甲醇和葡萄糖为基质测得的YH、bH、μ^H、ks、KX和kh分别为0.53、0.48、5.75、0.9、0.03、3.0和0.87、1.03、2.27、4.45、0.01、7.0。YH、bH、μ^H和ks的值与ASM1中城市污水的推荐值0.67、0.62、6.0、20.0不同,反映了不同基质对参数测定结果的影响。对于慢速可生物降解有机物(Xs)含量低的水质来说,KX和kh对生化反应过程影响不大,可采用ASM1模型的推荐值。