Antiradical activity of natural honeys and antifungal effect against Penicillium genera

The purpose of the study was to examine the antiradical activity of 11 natural honeys and to evaluate the antifungal properties of honey. Honey samples (10) were collected from different locations of Slovak Republic. Honeys were native to different plant species of Robinia pseudoacaccia, Brassica napus subs. napus, Castanea sativa Mill. Thymus serpyllum vulgaris and the other samples had multifloral origin. The low antiradical activitity in honey samples was determined. The best results were found in thyme honey from Rhodos (11.84 %) and Castanea honey from Nitra (10.61 %). The lowest antiradical activity was found in Acacia honey and determined to be 7.62 %. Statistically significant differences (P< 0.001) were found among thyme/Rhodos and Castanea/Nitra. The antifungal activities of honey samples were tested by 10 %, 25 % and 50 % (by mass per volume) concentration against fungi Penicillium crustosum, P. expansum, P. griseofulvum, P. raistrickii and P. verrucosum and by the agar well diffusion method. The solutions containing 10 % (by mass per volume) of honey did not have any effect on the growth of fungi. The strongest antifungal effect was shown by 50 % honey concentration against P. raistrickii.     

Identifying Reefs of Hope and Hopeful Actions: Contextualizing Environmental, Ecological, and Social Parameters to Respond Effectively to Climate Change

Abstract:  Priorities for conservation, management, and associated activities will differ based on the interplay between nearness of ecosystems to full recovery from a disturbance (pristineness), susceptibility to climate change (environmental susceptibility [ES]), and capacity of human communities to cope with and adapt to change (social adaptive capacity [AC]). We studied 24 human communities and adjacent coral reef ecosystems in 5 countries of the southwestern Indian Ocean. We used ecological measures of abundance and diversity of fishes and corals, estimated reef pristineness, and conducted socioeconomic household surveys to determine the AC of communities adjacent to selected coral reefs. We also used Web-based oceanographic and coral mortality data to predict each site's ES to climate warming. Coral reefs of Mauritius and eastern Madagascar had low ES and consequently were not predicted to be affected strongly by warm water, although these sites were differentiated by the AC of the human community. The higher AC in Mauritius may increase the chances for successful self-initiated recovery and protective management of reefs of this island. In contrast, Madagascar may require donor support to build AC as a prerequisite to preservation efforts. The Seychelles and Kenya had high ES, but their levels of AC and disturbance differed. The high AC in the Seychelles could be used to develop alternatives to dependence on coral reef resources and reduce the effects of climate change. Pristineness weighted toward measures of fish recovery was greatest for Kenya's marine protected areas; however, most protected areas in the region were far from pristine. Conservation priorities and actions with realistic chances for success require knowledge of where socioecological systems lie among the 3 axes of environment, ecology, and society.     

Using social resilience and resource dependency to increase the effectiveness of marine conservation initiatives in Salum,Egypt

The social and economic ramifications of marine conservation strategies such as marine protected areas (MPAs) are important to consider prior to their implementation to ensure that they do not exceed the resilience of resource-users and that resource protection might be maximised through compliance and low resistance. This paper presents a framework in which the human dimensions can be more easily and usefully integrated into the design and delivery of conservation initiatives. The framework espouses quantifying (1) the level of dependency on the resource; (2) perceptions towards conservation initiatives; and (3) social resilience. The framework is applied in Salum, Egypt, which is the site of a prospective MPA.     

Changes in biomass activity and characteristics of activated sludge exposed to low ozone dose

In this paper, the response mechanism of activated sludge exposed to low-dose ozone at less than 20 mg O₃ g⁻¹ total suspended solids (TSS) was studied by analyzing the changes in sludge activity and the evolution of C, N, P and metals from sludge following ozonation. The intracellular ATP concentration was not affected at less than 5 mg O₃ g⁻¹ TSS and thereafter decreased rapidly to around 60% when the ozone dose increased to 20 mg O₃ g⁻¹ TSS. Similarly, the efficiency of sludge solubilization initially changed a little and then increased rapidly to around 30% at an ozone dose of 20 mg O₃ g⁻¹ TSS. However, the activities of superoxide dismutase and protease decreased immediately upon exposure to ozone. These findings indicate that ozone firstly destroys the floc, leading to the disruption of the compact aggregates, which does not affect cells viability but induces a decrease in enzyme activities. Ozone then attacks the bacterial cells of the sludge, causing a decrease in cells viability. During ozonation, the content of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in the sludge matrix decreased, while the content of these elements in the micro-solids and supernatant gradually increased. Most of the released metals from the sludge matrix were found in the micro-solids.     

蚯蚓处理对污泥中微生物碳量及脱氢酶活性的影响

将含水率80.6%的脱水污泥制成5 mm的污泥颗粒,以添加蚯蚓(赤子爱胜蚓)为处理组,无蚯蚓为对照组,测定不同时期污泥的理化性质、微生物碳量(MBC)和脱氢酶活性(DHA)的变化,重点研究了蚯蚓对污泥降解过程中MBC和DHA变化的影响.结果表明,相比对照组,蚯蚓处理组p H变化幅度较小;实验结束时,蚯蚓处理组的电导率(EC)和溶解性有机碳(DOC)显著高于对照组,而有机质(OM)显著低于对照组.实验前30 d,蚯蚓处理组MBC显著高于对照组,40 d至实验结束,蚯蚓处理组MBC显著低于对照组.DHA的结果表明,蚯蚓处理组和对照组在前30 d并没有显著性差异,40 d后蚯蚓处理组的DHA显著低于对照组,DHA稳定在2.98~6.40 mg·g-1·h-1(以TPF计).相关分析表明,DHA、MBC和OM之间显著正相关.研究表明,接种蚯蚓在实验前期显著提升了系统的微生物量,加快污泥有机质的降解,从而导致后期产物的微生物量及其活性较低,最终产物更稳定.     

降解剩余污泥中纤维素/半纤维素微生物富集培养实验研究

为促进剩余污泥中木质纤维素能源转化,首先需要探知污泥中是否存在可以降解纤维素/半纤维素的微生物.以木聚糖作为单一碳源分别从剩余污泥和厌氧消化污泥中富集培养可降解纤维素/半纤维素的微生物.实验结果显示,两种污泥源中均存在可降解纤维素/半纤维素的微生物,并可成功富集培养获得该类微生物.FISH与LIVE/DEAD实验证实,富集微生物为梭状芽孢杆菌属和芽孢杆菌属的混合物,并以梭状芽孢杆菌为主;富集微生物均具有很高活性.     

基于野外实测光谱的污灌区土壤重金属污染快速监测

利用光谱反射率反演土壤重金属含量相比传统实验室化学分析方法具有简单高效、成本低、非侵入性等优点。但光谱采集主要局限于实验室内,大大降低了监测的时效性。采集了龙口市污水灌溉区内的32个土壤样本,对9种重金属(Cr、Mn、Fe、Ni、Cu、Zn、As、Cd、Pb)进行了测定,并对土壤光谱进行了野外实测,同时对实测光谱进行光谱变换,提取了去除包络线(CR)、光谱倒数对数(lg(1/R))、一阶微分(RD1)、二阶微分(RD2)4种光谱指标,采用偏最小二乘回归方法(PLSR)建模。结果表明,污水灌溉区内存在严重的土壤重金属污染现象,As、Ni、Cd等重金属富集情况显著,与Fe、Mn呈显著相关的6种元素为Ni、Mn、As、Pb、Zn、Cr,相应的最优建模光谱指标分别为一阶微分(RD1)、二阶微分(RD2)、反射率(R)、反射率(R)、二阶微分(RD2)、去除包络线(CR),验证精度r分别为0.935 3、0.781 4、0.699 6、0.745 8、0.690 1、0.569 6。研究表明,利用野外实测光谱可以提高土壤重金属监测的时效性,预估土壤重金属含量具有一定的可行性,但针对不同的重金属应使用不同的光谱指标建模来达到最优效果。     

玉米对铅胁迫的响应及体内铅化学形态研究

通过砂培试验,研究了铅(Pb)胁迫下不同品种玉米根、茎叶中Pb的化学形态变化,进一步探讨玉米耐Pb机制.结果表明,本试验中对Pb胁迫耐性最强的玉米品种为郑单958和隆平206,耐性最差的为联创5号.不同浓度Pb胁迫下玉米根、茎叶中Pb主要以无毒的醋酸提取态和盐酸提取态为主,比例高达60%~87%,这一比例根部略高于茎叶;而活性较强的乙醇提取态和水提取态Pb含量两者合计所占比例为6%~20%.100 mg·L-1Pb胁迫下隆平206茎叶中Pb的乙醇和水提取态合计值最低(0.52 mg·kg-1),其次是郑单958(0.93 mg·kg-1),最高的为联创5号(2.78 mg·kg-1);800 mg·L-1Pb胁迫下,郑单958茎叶中Pb的乙醇提取态和水提取态合计值最低,为2.41 mg·kg-1,因此郑单958耐Pb,可能与体内有毒形态Pb向无毒形态Pb的转换有关.     

重庆金佛山降雪中飞灰单颗粒特征及来源解析

大气降雪能够保存大气环境信息,是研究区域环境的良好介质.位于渝黔交接带的金佛山海拔2 251.1 m,冬季降水以降雪的形式出现,周边区域人类活动强烈.关于该区域大气气溶胶中的飞灰单颗粒特征的研究比较缺乏.本研究采集了金佛山5个降雪样品,运用扫描电镜及X能谱分析联用系统(SEM-EDS)对样品中的132个飞灰进行单颗粒形貌、化学组成分析.结果表明,研究区降雪中存在大量球形飞灰,包含光滑颗粒、粗糙颗粒及聚合体颗粒3种形态,分别占统计颗粒的80.31%、14.39%和5.30%;平均粒径1.64μm,平均环度1.09.按主导化学元素分为富硅类、富碳类、富铁类、富铝类及富钛类5种,所占比例分别为34.09%、49.24%、12.88%、2.27%和1.52%.结合气象资料、气团后向运移轨迹和飞灰性质,推测富碳类飞灰可能主要来自于生活排放源和工业活动;富硅类飞灰可能来自于渝西、黔北、湘中、浙赣一带及粤西的火力发电厂等高温燃煤工业;富铁类及富钛类飞灰则可能来源于渝西和黔北、湘中的钢铁厂、轧钢厂等金属冶炼活动.     

超声、过硫酸钾协同去除水中诺氟沙星的效果

过硫酸钾活化可产生强氧化性硫酸根自由基(SO-4·),采用超声/过硫酸钾体系氧化降解诺氟沙星,考察了过硫酸钾浓度、诺氟沙星初始浓度、溶液初始p H值及自由基淬灭剂甲醇、叔丁醇对降解效果的影响.结果表明,超声/过硫酸钾体系能够显著降解和矿化诺氟沙星,与单独过硫酸钾、超声相比,超声/过硫酸钾对诺氟沙星的去除率分别提高了3.2和8.9倍,降解过程符合一级反应动力学.诺氟沙星的去除率随过硫酸钾浓度的增加趋于平缓.p H对诺氟沙星的降解影响较大,这是因为随p H的升高,体系中的氧化性物种由SO-4·转化为以SO-4·/HO·为主.TOC去除和大肠杆菌抗菌实验表明,反应180 min,超声/过硫酸钾能够实现49.12%的诺氟沙星矿化,且对大肠杆菌的抑菌圈直径由45 mm减小到14 mm(滤纸直径),完全去除其抗菌性.结果表明超声/过硫酸钾能够有效用于诺氟沙星废水处理.