A correlation between the fate and non-extractable residue formation of 14C-metalaxyl and enzymatic activities in soil

Extracellular, oxidative soil enzymes like monophenol oxidases and peroxidases play an important role in transformation of xenobiotics and the formation of organic matter in soil. Additionally, these enzymes may be involved in the formation of non-extractable residues (NERs) of xenobiotics during humification processes. To examine this correlation, the fate of the fungicide ¹⁴C metalaxyl in soil samples from Ultuna (Sweden) was studied. Using different soil sterilization techniques, it was possible to differentiate between free, immobilized, and abiotic (“pseudoenzyme”-like) oxidative activities. A correlation between the formation of metalaxyl NER and soil organic matter content, biotic activities, as well as extracellular phenoloxidase and peroxidase activities in the bulk soil and its particle size fractions was determined. Extracellular soil-bound enzymes were involved in NER formation (up to 8% of applied radioactivity after 92 days) of the fungicide independently from the presence of living microbes and different distributions of the NER in the soil humic subfractions.     

Effect of Agave attenuata extracts on detoxification enzymes of Biomphlaria alexandrina

The toxicity and rising costs of synthetic molluscicides have led to interest in compounds derived from locally growing plants that can be used as molluscicides. The aim of the present work was to study the effect of extracts of some Egyptian plants having lethal effect on snails of medical importance (Biomphlaria alexandrina) as well as on antioxidant and glutathione detoxification enzymes. Ethanolic extracts of locally growing plants Agave attenuata, Agave sislana, Phytolaca dodecandra and Euphorbia spllendens were applied as a contact poison to B. alexandrina, the intermediate host of Schistosoma mansoni. The LC₅₀ of A. attenuata, A. sislana, P. dodecandra and E. spllendens are 82, 101, 98 and 98 mg/L, respectively. Glutathione and the enzymes involved in protection of the snail from reactive oxygen species namely, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione S-transferase, catalase, gamma glutamyl transferase increased in the survival snails exposed to high concentrations of A. attenuata. Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase indirectly affecting glutathione reductase and the oxidation, reduction of glutathione significantly decreased in snails exposed to A. attenuata extracts. Superoxide dismutase level tend to decrease in snails exposed to A. attenuata of action. In conclusion A. attenuata is preferable when compared with synthetic molluscicides. The enzymes involved directly or indirectly in protection mechanism of the snail against A. attenuata are mainly responsible for snails survival.     

Renewable Resources and Enzymatic Processes to Create Functional Polymers: Adapting Materials and Reactions from Food Processing

We are exploiting materials and concepts from food science to create functionalized, environmentally friendly derivatives of the biopolymer chitosan, a byproduct of seafood processing. Functional groups are grafted onto chitosan using tyrosinase, the enzyme responsible for food browning. The functionalizing groups studied include low-molecular-weight phenols derived from natural sources and high-molecular-weight proteins. The approach of using low-molecular-weight phenols to functionalize chitosan is illustrated with arbutin, a natural phenol found in pears. Results demonstrate that tyrosinase initiates reactions that lead to the conversion of arbutin–chitosan solutions into gels. These gels can be rapidly broken by treatment with the chitosan-hydrolyzing enzyme chitosanase, demonstrating that the chitosan derivatives remain biodegradable. We briefly review other studies in which low-molecular-weight natural phenols are enzymatically grafted onto chitosan to confer functional properties. The creation of co-polymers is illustrated by results in which tyrosinase is used to couple gelatin onto chitosan. Gelatin is a proteinaceous byproduct of meat production. The tyrosinase-generated gelatin–chitosan conjugates have been observed to offer interesting rheological and thermal properties. These results demonstrate the potential for using renewable resources and enzymatic processing to create environmentally friendly polymers with useful functional properties.     

A Quantitative Safety Assessment Model For Transgenic Protein Products Produced In Agricultural Crops

Transgenic plants are now being used to develop pharmaceutical and industrial products in addition to their use in crop improvement. Using confinement requirements, these transgenic plants are grown and processed under conditions that prevent intermixing with commodity crops. Regulatory agencies in the United States have provided guidance of zero tolerance of these new industrial crops with commodity crops. While this is a worthy goal, it is theoretically unattainable. In spite of the best containment practices, there is a potential risk using any system of production due to unforeseen incidences including natural disasters or exposure to workers. The precautionary principle has been used for numerous regulated articles in addressing the potential risks of new products and technology based on a risk assessment in similar situations. We present here a risk assessment model that could be used as a start to develop an accepted model for the industry. The model is based on current risk models used for other regulated articles, but adapted for these types of products. This could be used to determine action levels in the event of an unintended exposure or to ensure that detection or confinement methods are adequate to avoid risks. As an example, aprotinin, a therapeutic protein now being produced in maize, was evaluated for potential risk to humans using this model.     

磺化石墨烯对小麦幼苗生长及生理生化指标的影响

随着石墨烯生产量和使用量的不断增大,其对生态环境的风险逐渐引起了环境学家的关注。采用水培试验,探究了磺化石墨烯(SGO)对小麦幼苗的生长、抗氧化酶活性及脂质过氧化的影响。结果表明:在培养10 d后,低浓度磺化石墨烯对小麦根系的生长有显著促进作用(P0.05),200 mg·L-1浓度处理与对照处理相比提高了84.3%,随着浓度增加促进作用逐渐减弱,1 000 mg·L-1时与对照相比提高了19.9%。但对小麦地上部的生长没有影响。磺化石墨烯处理的小麦幼苗根系和叶片组织中超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、过氧化物酶(POD)及丙二醛(MDA)都呈现先下降后上升的趋势。当磺化石墨烯浓度低于200 mg·L-1时,处理组小麦抗氧化酶的活性及MDA含量相对于对照处理大都有所降低,说明低浓度时磺化石墨烯没有对小麦的生长产生氧化胁迫,这与磺化石墨烯可能具有一定的抗氧化能力有关,而高浓度时由于产生氧化胁迫使各项生理生化指标逐渐上升。本实验结果为石墨烯材料对植物的毒理学研究提供了基础数据。     

模拟黑麦草根系有机酸参与下炼锌废渣对斑马鱼抗氧化酶和神经毒性的影响

为评价多金属矿山废渣堆场生态修复过程中,废渣在先锋修复植物根系分泌的机酸参与下浸出液对周边环境生物的影响.以斑马鱼（Danio rerio）为受试生物,通过模拟添加典型先锋植物（黑麦草）根系分泌的有机酸（草酸和酒石酸）处理贵州威宁土法炼锌废渣,以废渣浸出液对受试生物抗氧化酶和乙酰胆碱酯酶（AchE）的不同响应为评价指标,研究各处理组对斑马鱼抗氧化系统、神经系统及组织学的影响.结果表明,两种有机酸的参与均会不同程度地降低炼锌废渣浸出液的pH,并导致废渣释放出更多重金属;暴露于有机酸参与的废渣浸出液14 d后,受试生物组织中的抗氧化酶受到显著影响,并因无法克服长时间的氧化应激最终引起丙二醇（MDA）在组织中累积;有机酸参与下废渣浸出液对斑马鱼具有明显的神经毒性,长时间暴露后受试生物出现游动迟缓、呼吸慢和鳃盖张合频率降低的现象;鳃组织存在上皮细胞水肿、增生或脱落、鳃丝充血和鳃小片扭曲或断裂的现象,而肌肉组织中出现更多肌纤维核增大、固缩和碎裂的现象.综上,选用适生性和耐受性较强、根系发达且有机酸分泌量较大的先锋植物来修复多金属废渣场地将可能促进废渣中重金属的释放并引起环境生物抗氧化系统和神经系...     

浒苔生物炭与木醋液复配改良碱化土壤效果及提高油葵产量

为探究浒苔生物炭与木醋液复配改良碱化土壤效果及提高作物产量,以龟裂碱土为例,通过田间试验研究不同生物炭施加量(0、1％、2％和4％)与不同木醋液稀释倍数(0、2％)复配对土壤pH、碱化度、全盐、容重、速效磷、有机质、盐分离子、油葵生长和产量的影响,不施加生物炭和木醋液视为对照(CK).结果表明,2％浒苔生物炭+2％木醋液(V2BC2)改良龟裂碱土的综合效果最佳;在最佳处理条件下:①浒苔生物炭与木醋液复配能改善土壤理化性质,具体表现为作物生长期内土壤平均pH、碱化度和全盐含量显著降低,较CK分别降低12.14％、40.63％和42.75％,土壤容重显著减小,较CK减小20.78％;②浒苔生物炭与木醋液复配能显著降低土壤Na+、Cl-和SO42-含量,较CK分别降低47.17％、45.32％和33.33％,提高土壤K+和Ca2+含量,其他离子含量的差异不显著;③浒苔生物炭与木醋液复配显著提高土壤养分含量及有效性,增强土壤酶活性,与CK相比,速效磷提高2.88倍,有机质提高58.76％,土壤脲酶、碱性磷酸酶和蔗糖酶活性分别提高0.92、1.02和2.29倍;④油葵产量在V2BC2处理时最高,为3 546.7 kg-hm-2,较CK增产2 325.3 kg-hm-2.因此,浒苔生物炭与木醋液复配能进一步提高盐碱土改良效果及作物产量.     

Oxidative stress and genotoxicity of 1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium chloride on loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus)

This study was a preliminary step to evaluate the acute toxicity of 1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium chloride ([C₈mim]Cl) on loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) by determining the effects on hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities and by the comet assay. The results showed that [C₈mim]Cl had acute toxicity at concentrations above 20 mg L^?1, inducing oxidative stress and genotoxicity on fish liver cells. In respect to enzyme activities, [C₈mim]Cl induced changes in the activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione content the livers of fish exposed at 20–80 mg L^?1. [C₈mim]Cl at the same exposure level caused a remarkable increase in malondialdehyde level. The comet assay indicated that [C₈mim]Cl at 20–80 mg L^?1 induced genotoxicity in liver cells. With increased exposure concentration and time, the two comet parameters trailing rate and tail moment were significantly increased, with significant differences (P < 0.05) observed between control group and each treatment group. The present study shows that ionic liquids can be a threat to the health of aquatic organism when accidentally released to aquatic ecosystems.     

硫磺和放线菌强化植物修复土壤镉污染

为了强化耐受重金属镉（Cd）的植物包心芥菜对土壤中Cd污染的富集及转运效率,以包心芥菜为研究对象,向土壤中添加0.3%的硫磺和接种不同数量的放线菌Act12（0.5,1.0,1.5,2.0g/kg）,通过盆栽实验,研究不同处理间根际土pH值的变化规律、包心芥菜地上和地下部分Cd的积累量、植物抗氧化酶系的变化以及根系活力.结果表明：添加0.3%硫磺和2.0g/kg放线菌Act12后,根际土pH值下降最大,相比对照下降了14.5%.而添加0.3%硫磺和1.5g/kg的放线菌Act12,包心芥菜地上部分Cd的含量最高,转运系数最大,相比对照,Cd含量提高了79%,并且植物地上部分的干重最大.添加放线菌Act12对植物的抗氧化系统有积极作用,CAT、POD、SOD含量均在0.3%硫磺和1.0g/kg放线菌Act12的添加组合下达到峰值,放线菌Act12还可提高植物的根系活力,降低丙二醛的含量.综上表明,添加硫磺和放线菌Act12均可强化包心芥菜吸收土壤中Cd的能力,其中0.3%硫磺和1.5g/kg放线菌Act12的添加组合强化效果最佳.     

外源硒对黄瓜抗性、镉积累及镉化学形态的影响

采用盆栽试验,在土壤Cd(20 mg·kg-1)污染条件下,测定了不同浓度的Na2Se O3(Se水平为0、0.5和1.0 mg·L-1)处理对2个黄瓜(Cucumis satiuus L.)品种(低Cd富集植物品种津优1号和高Cd富集品种燕白)生物量、丙二醛(MDA)含量、抗氧化酶活性及黄瓜体内Cd形态和Cd积累量的影响.结果表明,叶面喷施硒(Na2Se O3)后,黄瓜叶、茎、根、果实、植株干重,以及Cd含量和积累量在两个品种间的差异达到了显著性水平.随硒浓度的增加,燕白叶的丙二醛(MDA)含量逐渐增加,津优1号叶的丙二醛含量则逐渐减少;燕白根的丙二醛含量先增后降,津优1号根的丙二醛含量先降后增.喷施Na2Se O3后,黄瓜叶和根的CAT、SOD和POD活性呈现不同变化趋势.喷施外源硒降低了2个品种果实中不同形态Cd含量.叶面喷施Na2Se O3使黄瓜叶、茎、根和果实中的Cd含量分别下降了3.2%~17.9%、14.6%~28.2%、5.1%~18.5%和60.6%~75.8%.比较2个供试黄瓜品种,无论喷施Na2Se O3与否,黄瓜植株中Cd积累量以津优1号燕白.