Clinical and analytical follow‐up of 25 persons exposed accidentally to beryllium†

An accidental exposition of 25 persons to beryllium dust was used to follow up trace analytical and clinical parameters over a period of 10 months. Although no exposed person shows any symptoms of an acute beryllium intoxication, up to 5‐fold increased beryllium concentrations could be analysed in serum samples about 10 hours after exposition. The beryllium clearance shows a biological half time in the range of 2 to 8 weeks. The beryllium determination in the nanogram range was carried out using a combined method by flameless a.a.s. with a detection limit of 0.6 ppb Be and a relative standard deviation from 20 to 4% in relation to the concentration range of beryllium measurement.

Beryllium analyses are completed by thorax X‐ray, spirometry, y‐globulins and liver enzymes (SGOT, SGPT), which have shown no pathological values. Because it is known for beryllium to sensitize the cellular immune response, neopterin measurement was used to determine the activity of the immune system. Neopterin, a pteridine synthesized by activated macrophages after stimulation by gamma‐interferon derived from sensitized T‐lymphocytes, was determined in urine samples by HPLC combined with an fluorescence detector. Only in two cases a slight increase of neopterin has been found. As a result of this study it can be summarized, that a short‐time exposure to beryllium (10–20 h), which results in a increase of beryllium in serum to the fivefold normal beryllium level, does not initiate any symptoms of an acute beryllium intoxication. The exposed persons are controlled in future to evaluate the further course.     

降解菌djl-6多菌灵水解酶的提取及性质

以往对多菌灵降解菌Rhodococcus qingshengii sp.nov.djl-6的降解途径研究显示,该菌株首先通过多菌灵水解酶将多菌灵水解成二氨基苯并咪唑,从而对多菌灵进行脱毒.为开发酶制剂并有效应用于环境中残留污染物多菌灵的降解,比较了不同提取方法(高压细胞破碎、超声波破碎和添加溶菌酶破碎)对多菌灵水解酶提取效率的影响,并对其酶学特性进行了初步研究.结果表明,djl-6菌株在LB培养基中培养72~84 h,生长量和产酶量均达到最大值.采用超声波破碎提取酶的效率较高(蛋白浓度为7.92 mg/mL),但酶活损失较大(比酶活只有1.2 U/μg protein).多菌灵水解酶属于一种胞内组成型酶.该酶水解多菌灵的最适pH值为7.0,最适温度为30℃,Zn2+和K+对酶活有一定的抑制作用.     

Multiple-time contamination of benzo(a)pyrene in soils inhibits soil enzymatic activities

Benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) is accumulating in soils in a low-dose cumulative manner. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of B[a]P on the extractable and available fractions of B[a]P and on soil enzymatic activity using multiple-time superimposed and one-time contamination approaches. Results showed that the contents of B[a]P rapidly decreased in the first 14?d and later decreased slowly from 14 to 56?d in both one-time and multiple-time contamination tests. The contents of B[a]P in the multiple-time contamination test were lower than those in the one-time test. Soil urease, sucrase and dehydrogenase activities were rapidly inhibited in the early stage (14?d) and stimulated during the rest of the incubation, and soil dehydrogenase activity was more sensitive to B[a]P contamination than the other enzymes. High concentrations of B[a]P in soil led to greater inhibition of enzymatic activity than that at low concentrations in the early period of culture. Soil enzyme activities were weakly inhibited in multiple-time compared with in one-time contamination tests and were lower in the subsurface layer than in the surface layer. Our results revealed that the multiple-time superimposed approach might be better than one-time contamination for evaluating B[a]P risk in soil.     

Characterization of a poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) depolymerase fromaureobacterium saperdae: Active site and kinetics of hydrolysis studies

An extracellular poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) depolymerase was purified fromAureobacterium saperdae cultural medium by using hydrophobic interaction chromatography. The isolated enzyme was composed of a single polypeptide chain with a molecular mass of 42.7 kDa as determined by SDS-PAGE and by native gel filtration on TSK-HW-55S. The enzyme was not a glycoprotein. Its optimum activity occurred at pH 8.0 and it showed a broad pH stability, ranging from pH 3 to pH 11.N-Bromosuccinamide and 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl bromide completely inactivated the enzyme, suggesting the involvement of tryptophan residues at the active site of the protein. The enzyme was very sensitive to diisopropyl fluorophosphate and diazo-dl-norleucine methyl ester, showing the importance of serine and carboxyl groups. The modification of cysteine residues byp-hydroxy mercuricbenzoate did not cause a loss of activity, whereas dithiothreitol rapidly inactivated the enzyme, revealing the presence of disulfide bonds.A saperdae depolymerase acted on the surface layer of PHB films and the degradation proceeded by surface erosion releasing monomers and dimers of 3-hydroxybutric acid. The degradation of PHB films byA. saperdae depolymerase was partially inhibited in the presence of excess amounts of enzyme. This phenomenon, already observed by Mukaiet al. with poly(hydroxyalkanoates) depolymerases fromAlcaligenes faecalis, Pseudomonas pickettii, andComamonas testosteroni, was analyzed according to the kinetic model proposed by these authors. The experimental data evidenced a general agreement with the kinetic model, although higher initial degradation rates were found withA. saperdae depolymerase.     

Mechanical Properties and Lipase-Catalyzed Biodegradation of α-Methyl, ε-Caprolactone/ ε-Caprolactone Copolymers Obtained by Chemical Modification of Poly(ε-caprolactone)

Novel (-caprolactone)-based copolymers of different compositions were synthesized by allowing methyl iodide to react with the polycarbanion that resulted from the action of lithium diisopropylamide on poly(-caprolactone) in THF at –70°C under argon atmosphere. The copolymers were characterized by various techniques, namely ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance, size exclusion chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry, x-ray diffraction and viscoelasticimetry. They were submitted to hydrolytic and lipase-catalyzed enzymatic degradation in comparison with genuine PCL. The Young modulus depended on the degree of methylation. In contrast, loss angle and glass transition temperature did not depend on this parameter. It is shown that the lipase-catalyzed degradation of methylated PCL is much slower than in the case of genuine PCL.     

苎麻脱胶废水预处理研究

通过采用自制的苎麻脱胶废水混凝剂、去杂脱色剂对苎麻脱胶废水进行预处理，实现了苎麻脱胶废水COD（mg／L）、BOD（mg／L）、SS（mg／L）下降到生化处理的要求，为废水生化处理打下基础。通过微波处理废水滤渣，使其达到快速干燥、炭化，并能作为自制脱色剂组成成分之一，实现了滤渣的资源化利用并降低了废水的处理成本。     

沉积物内源与外源重金属形态与酶活性的相关性

文章以表层沉积物为研究对象,采用改进的Tessier连续萃取法,研究了表层沉积物中重金属(内源体系:Fe、Mn、Cu、Zn和Pb;外源体系:掺杂Cu、Zn和Pb后的Fe、Mn、Cu、Zn和Pb)形态和酶(蛋白酶、脱氢酶、磷酸酶、蔗糖酶)活性在一定时间(45d)内的转化趋势,探讨了沉积物中重金属形态与酶活性的相关性。结果表明,在外源体系中,Cu、Zn和Pb的掺杂对Fe和Mn的形态转化影响较小,而Cu、Zn和Pb显著地由残渣态向相对不稳定形态转化,转化幅度均大于20%。外源重金属掺杂初期(前5d),重金属对沉积物中的酶有一定的活化作用,但经过一段时间后以抑制作用为主。相关性分析表明,当掺杂外源重金属后,沉积物中酶的活性与重金属形态的相关性减弱,与内源体系中重金属和酶的活性关系存在明显差异。     

Cd胁迫下超富集植物圆锥南芥抗氧化机理

采用土培的方法研究了不同Cd2+添加量(0、10、20、40、80、160、240mg.kg-1)对多金属超富集植物圆锥南芥(Arabis paniculata Franch)抗氧化酶(超氧化物歧化酶SOD、过氧化氢酶POD、抗坏血酸过氧化物酶CAT、过氧化物酶APX)活性、非酶物质(巯基SH、谷胱甘肽GSH、植物络合素PCs)含量以及生物量、叶绿素、丙二醛(MDA)、半胱氨酸(Cysteine)、脯氨酸(Proline)含量的影响.结果表明,随着Cd添加量的增加,圆锥南芥的生物量、Cd含量、富集系数、转运系数呈增加趋势,SOD活性、叶绿素含量呈下降趋势.POD、CAT、APX活性以及MDA含量均呈先升高后降低的变化趋势.圆锥南芥叶片中SH、GSH、PCs含量随Cd添加量的增加而增加,当Cd添加量为240mg.kg-1时,SH、GSH、PCs含量分别比对照提高了92.7%、70.2%、143.4%,表明SH、GSH、PCs在解毒Cd毒害中起着重要作用.     

大豆中磷脂的提取技术研究

用酶解法(羧酸水解酶)使大豆油中不溶于水的非水合磷脂转化为能溶于水的溶血性磷脂,使油脂中的磷含量小于或等于10×10-6,使用膜去除杂质后再离心分离。实验结果表明,使用膜技术和离心法联用的新工艺较为经济实惠,操作简单,附加值较高。     

The biochemical activity of soil contaminated with fungicides

Excess fungicides can pose a serious threat to the soil environment. Fungicides can lower the microbiological and biochemical activity of soil and lead to yield declines. Soils contaminated with fungicides have to be remediated to maintain the optimal function of soil ecosystems. This study evaluates the effect of neutralizing substances on soil enzymatic activity and the yield of Triticum aestivum L. in soil contaminated with fungicides. Sandy loam (Eutric Cambisols) with pH_KCl 7.0 was contaminated with an aqueous solution of Amistar 250 SC and Falcon 460 EC in the following doses: 0 (soil without fungicide – treated as a control), RD (dose recommended by the manufacturer) and 300?×?RD (dose 300-fold higher than the recommended dose). Soil was supplemented with bentonite and basalt meal at a dose of 10?g kg^?1 DM of soil (dry mass of soil). The fungicide dose recommended by the manufacturer did not induce changes in soil enzymatic activity or the yield of T. aestivum L. Our findings indicate that the tested fungicides can be safely applied to protect crops against fungal pathogens. However, when applied at the dose of 300?×?RD, the tested fungicides strongly inhibited soil enzymatic activity and disrupted the growth and development of spring wheat. Soil supplementation with bentonite and basalt meal improved the yield of T. aestivum L., and bentonite was more effective in reducing fungicide stress. The analyzed substances were not highly effective in restoring biochemical homeostasis in soil.