Immunosuppression in the infaunal bivalve Scrobicularia plana environmentally exposed to mercury and association with its accumulation

This study aimed to test the hypothesis whether mercury (Hg) activates or suppresses inappropriately the immunity of the bivalve Scrobicularia plana inhabiting a Hg contaminated area (Laranjo basin, Ria de Aveiro, Portugal). Immunity endpoints, as well as lipid peroxidation (LPO) as a sign of damage, were evaluated in parallel with total Hg burden. Bivalves from both moderately (MO) and highly (HI) contaminated sites displayed higher haemolymph Hg load and reduced plasma agglutination. Increased haemocytes density and decreased phagocytosis were observed at HI, whereas increased oxidative burst activity (OBA) was observed at MO, pointing out that the immunotoxicity is a result of Hg direct contact involving no ROS intervention. OBA observed at MO was concomitantly associated to peroxidative damage as depicted by LPO increase in haemocytes and haemolymph plasma. Thus, S. plana can be suggested as a suitable bioindicator of metal pollution in coastal areas on the basis of Hg bioaccumulation and immunotoxicity responses.     

低剂量臭氧的直接通加对活性污泥的活性、微生物种群及污泥减量化的影响

研究构建了2个容积为1.1 L的好氧活性污泥反应器（即1号和2号反应器）1,号反应器每天直接通加低剂量臭氧（投加量为0.01 g O3/g TSS）,不加臭氧的2号反应器作为对照平行运行,均采用每天换一次人工污水的充/排式操作。运行71 d的结果表明2,个反应器对人工污水COD的处理效果基本相同。反应器运行40 d后1,号反应器的污泥浓度比2号反应器的污泥浓度低1 400～1 700 mg/L并可稳定在8 200 mg/L,污泥减量化效果明显。低剂量臭氧的直接通加明显降低了胞内ATP浓度,并影响了微生物的抗氧化活性,2号反应器的平均超氧化物歧化酶和过氧化氢酶酶活比1号反应器分别高了24.3%和9.5%。PCR-DGGE对两反应器微生物种群的分析结果表明：Uncultured gammaproteobacteria bacteri-um、Nannocystis exedens和Uncultured actinobacterium为1号反应器的主要种群;而2号反应器的主要种群为Uncultured bacte-rium和Uncultured gammaproteobacteria bacterium。     

不同营养水平下悬浮细菌数量对生物粘泥性质的影响

循环水系统中的微生物有悬浮态和附着态,悬浮细菌的存在对附着态生物粘泥的生长及特性有明显影响。通过向模拟循环冷却水系统中投加不同数量初始悬浮细菌,考察在营养水平不同的情况下,悬浮细菌数量对生物粘泥化学组成和脱氢酶活性的影响。结果表明,营养水平不同,初始悬浮细菌数量对生物粘泥的化学组成和脱氢酶活性的影响程度不同;在不同营养水平下,应分别控制初始悬浮细菌数量。贫营养下,初始悬浮细菌数量应控制在6×105个/mL左右;中营养下,初始悬浮细菌数量应控制在1×105～2.6×105个/mL之间;富营养下,初始悬浮细菌数量应控制在0.11×105～2.6×105个/mL之间最不利于生物粘泥的生长。     

厌氧膨胀床处理低浓度污水的污泥颗粒和生物活性变化

污泥的聚集形态和活性,是影响厌氧反应器处理效率的关键因素。通过对厌氧膨胀床反应器（anaerobicex—pandedblanketreactor,AEBR）处理低浓度城镇污水在启动和稳定运行期的污泥活性研究,AEBR在启动运行期内,接种颗粒污泥为适应低浓度基质条件,污泥粒径经历从大变小,再重新颗粒化粒径变大的过程。在运行期第103天,粒径小于1000μm污泥的体积比达到44．7％,平均粒径为952μm,到运行期第173天,粒径小于1000μm污泥的体积比降为28％,平均粒径达1179μm,污泥重新颗粒化完成。颗粒污泥适应新的环境后,单位重量污泥的最大比产甲烷活性（specificmetha．nogensisactivity,SMA）值和胞外聚合物含量增加,分别达到112mLCH4／（gVSS·d）和215mg／gVSS。在处理实际城镇污水的AEBR反应器内,辅酶F420含量可以有效指示污泥样品的产甲烷活性,AEBR反应器不同高度位置的污泥活性不一样,反应器底部污泥活性低于中上部区域污泥的活性。     

Fate of bisphenol A during treatment with the litter-decomposing fungi Stropharia rugosoannulata and Stropharia coronilla

Bisphenol A is an endocrine disrupting compound, which is ubiquitous in the environment due to its wide use in plastic and resin production. Seven day old cultures of the litter-decomposing fungus Stropharia coronilla removed the estrogenic activity of bisphenol A (BPA) rapidly and enduringly. Treatment of BPA with purified neutral manganese peroxidase (MnP) from this fungus also resulted in 100% reduction of estrogenic activity, as analyzed using a bioluminescent yeast assay, and in the formation of polymeric compounds. In cultures of Stropharia rugosoannulata, estrogenic activity also quickly disappeared but temporarily re-emerged in the further course of cultivation. LC-MS analysis of the extracted estrogenic culture liquid revealed [M−H]⁻ ions with m/z values of 219 and 235. We hypothesize that these compounds are ring fission products of BPA, which still exhibit one intact hydroxyphenyl group to interact with estrogen receptors displayed by the yeast.     

青藏工程走廊(昆仑山口-清水湖段)地质灾害隐患点成因调查

通过野外实地调查发现,青藏工程走廊昆仑山口-清水河段发育的主要地质灾害隐患点有活断层儒移引起路基位错;活断裂作为导水通道,使冰丘穿刺路基;河岸坍塌导致铁路桥墩外露;铁路工程排水沟渗漏,铁路路基两侧水动力条件发生变化,导致铁路路基发生管涌;冻土冬季冻胀,夏季融沉导致路基裂缝、道路翻浆、管道变形;风力堆积作用导致青藏铁路护坡局部沙淤;风力吹蚀导致格拉输油管线外露。综合分析认为,青藏工程走廊昆仑山口-清水河段环境地质问题的产生是自然和人为因素复合作用的结果,应点、线、面结合考虑,综合治理。     

Responses of alkaline phosphatase activity to wind-driven waves in a large, shallow lake: Implications for phosphorus availability and algal blooms

Phosphorus is a vital nutrient for algal growth, thus, a better understanding of phosphorus availability is essential to mitigate harmful algal blooms in lakes. Wind waves are a ubiquitous characteristic of lake ecosystems. However, its effects on the cycling of organic phosphorus and its usage by phytoplankton remain poorly elucidated in shallow eutrophic lakes. A mesocosm experiment was carried out to investigate the responses of alkaline phosphatase activity fractions to wind waves in large, shallow, eutrophic Lake Taihu. Results showed that wind-driven waves induced the release of alkaline phosphatase and phosphorus from the sediment, and dramatically enhanced phytoplanktonic alkaline phosphatase activity. However, compared to the calm conditions, bacterial and dissolved alkaline phosphatase activity decreased in wind-wave conditions. Consistently, the gene copies of Microcystis phoX increased but bacterial phoX decreased under wind-wave conditions. The ecological effects of these waves on phosphorus and phytoplankton likely accelerated the biogeochemical cycling of phosphorus and promoted phytoplankton production in Lake Taihu. This study provides an improved current understanding of phosphorus availability and the phosphorus strategies of plankton in shallow, eutrophic lakes.     

In vitro toxicity of selected fungicides from the groups of benzimidazoles and demethylation inhibitors to Cladobotryum dendroides and Agaricus bisporus

Twenty microfungal isolates were collected from diseased fruiting bodies of Agaricus bisporus sampled from Serbian mushroom farms during 2003–2007. Based on morphological characteristics and pathogenicity tests, the isolates were identified as Cladobotryum dendroides. The isolates of C. dendroides and A. bisporusF56 and U3 were tested for sensitivity to several selected fungicides in vitro. C. dendroides isolates were found to be more sensitive to prochloraz manganese and flusilazole + carbendazim than to the other fungicides tested (EC₅₀ values were 0.09 and 0.11 mg L^{? 1}, respectively) and weakly resistant to thiophanate-methyl (EC₅₀ values ranged between 6.53 and 12.09 mg L^{? 1}). Selectivity indexes of the tested fungicides on both C. dendroidesand A. bisporusindicated that thiophanate-methyl, cyproconazole + carbendazim and flusilazole + carbendazim had much less selective fungitoxicity than benomyl, carbendazim and prochloraz manganese.     

Cesium inhibition of motor activity in comparison to Lithium and Rubidium †

The biochemical and toxicological significance of cesium is scarcely understood, and could be evaluated in comparison with lithium widely used as a psychotropic drug. Two male Wistar rat groups of 200–220 g are administered independently, lithium, sodium, rubidium and cesium chloride, in doses of 3mEq/Kg/day (0.024 Eq/L drinking water) during 29 days. Motor activity was measured after the injection of 70 mg pargyline/Kg animal i.p. as inhibitor of MAO A + B with an activimeter of Tedeschy type. Accumulative movements per minute are presented in function of time. Total brain proteins, alkaline and acid phosphatases and blood parameters, haematocrit, haemoglobin and erythrocytes, were determined.

The maximal increase of motor activity was seen in rats treated with RbCl 2 h after the pargyline administration and the diminution was Rb>Li>Cs. Cesium induced a decrease of the total serum protein concentration from 6.39 ± 0.1 to 5.8±0.5mg/100ml serum in controls. Acid and alkaline phosphatase were decreased in cesium treated rats. The three determined blood parameters, haematocrit, haemoglobin and erythrocytes, show also a decrement with cesium treatment compared to the control ones.     

Leaching,mobility and persistence of tebufenozide in columns packed with forest litter and soil

Abstract

Leaching, downward mobility and persistence of tebufenozide was investigated under laboratory conditions in columns packed with forest litter and soil, after fortification with the analytical grade material (purity > 99.6%) and with two commercial formulations, RH‐5992 2F (aqueous flowable) and RH‐5992 ES (emulsion suspension). Two types of litter and soil were used: one type with relatively high amounts of sand and the other with high amounts of clay.

The concentrations eluted in the leachates were lower when the analytical material (dissolved in acetone) was used for fortification, than when the two formulations (diluted with water) were used. The amount leached was higher for RH‐5992 2F than for RH‐5992 ES. The type of substrate, i.e., sandy or clay type, had only marginal influence on the amounts eluted in the leachates. Downward movement of tebufenozide from the top 2‐cm layer to the untreated middle and bottom layers (3‐cm segments) was consistently lower when the analytical material was used for fortification, than when the two formulations were used. Downward movement was higher for RH‐5992 2F than for RH‐5992 ES. Persistence of tebufenozide in substrates, maintained under submerged conditions for 70 days after leaching, indicated an initial 2‐week lag period prior to the onset of degradation. Formulation‐related differences were observed in the half‐life (DT₅₀) values. When the analytical material was used for fortification, the DT₅₀ ranged from ca 54 to 59 d. However, when the formulations were used for fortification, the DT₅₀ showed a higher range, i.e., from ca 62 to 67 d for RH‐5992 2F and ca 70 to 80 d for RH‐5992 ES. Formulation ingredients appear to have caused enhanced adsorption of tebufenozide onto the substrates, thus delaying degradation.