Transformation of organic matters in fresh leachate during anaerobic degradation under long hydraulic retention time

This study investigated the biodegradability of fresh leachate from a young municipal solid waste landfill at the inoculum to substrate ratios (V/V) of 10/100, 25/100, 50/100 and 100/100, as well as the transformation of organic matters in leachate under prolonged hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 50 d. Fresh leachate showed a good biodegradability, with chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal e ciency as high as 87%–92% and cumulative methane yield close to theoretical value (0.35 L CH4/g CODdeg). Methane production and COD depletion presented biphasic characteristics associated with the successive utilization of two major intermediates, acetate and propionate. The biphasic degradation of fresh leachate was resulted from the di erent hydrolysis rates of diverse substrates and the changes in microorganism community structure. After 50 d, the e uents were dominated by high-MW organic compounds (MW > 10 kDa) at each inoculum ratio, which might be refractory compounds released from cell lyses.     

组合氯化消毒工艺的卤代消毒副产物生成特性

比较4种单独使用氯或组合氯化消毒工艺在较长管网停留时的卤代消毒副产物生成情况.4种工艺为单独游离氯消毒、氯胺消毒、清水池游离氯消毒后转氯胺的先氯后氨消毒、短时游离氯后转氯胺的顺序氯化消毒工艺.结果表明,游离氯消毒工艺在管网停留时间长时,卤代消毒副产物会持续大量的生成,而一氯胺消毒工艺生成的卤代消毒副产物量很低.目前使用较为普遍的先氯后氨消毒工艺与游离氯消毒相比,可以降低卤代消毒副产物的生成量,管网停留24 h时,三卤甲烷的生成量降低了9.6%,卤乙酸的生成量减低了42%.但是先氯后氨消毒工艺由于游离氯接触时间约为2 h,卤代消毒副产物已经大量生成.短时游离氯后转氯胺的顺序氯化消毒工艺,由于控制了游离氯的接触时间,可以在保障消毒工艺灭活微生物效果的同时更为有效地控制卤代消毒副产物,管网停留24 h时,三卤甲烷的生成量与单独游离氯消毒工艺相比降低了48%,卤乙酸的生成量减低了72%.因此,顺序氯化消毒工艺可以更好地控制卤代消毒副产物的生成,提高水质安全性.     

麻疯树叶绿ω3脂肪酸脱饱和酶基因的克隆和鉴定

根据几个已知的植物ω3脂肪酸脱胞和酶基因序列,利用RT-PCR和RACE技术从麻疯树中克隆了一条编码叶绿体ω3脂肪酸脱饱和酶的cDNA序列.对该序列的分析表明,该cDNA的编码区长1 368bp,编码一个长度为455个氨基酸的蛋白质,推测的蛋白质相对分子质量(Mr)大小为52.1×103.同源分析显示,推测的氨基酸序列与其他物叶绿体脂肪酸脱饱和酶具有很高的相似性.RT-PCR分析表明,该基因在麻疯树叶片中有着稳定的表达.此外,还通过酵母表达系统鉴定了该基因编码的酶的功能.对转基因酵母的脂肪酸组成分析发现,α亚麻酸在转基因酵母中积累.上述结果表明,该麻疯树cDNA编码了一个叶绿体ω3脂肪酸脱饱和酶.     

温度对生物活性炭降解卤乙酸的影响

卤乙酸(HAAs)是饮用水中常见的氯和氯胺消毒副产物,具有较高的亲水性与致癌性,为了保证水质与人体健康,各国均对其制定了相关规定。考察了生物活性碳(BAC)对9种HAA的去除性能,并探讨HAA生物降解效果随温度的变化情况与生物反应的去除机理,反应动力学与热力学。结果显示,BAC可有效去除水体中的一卤代与二卤代乙酸,难以去除三卤代乙酸。BAC的生物降解性能明显可分为2个部分:低温(5~15℃)基本不发生生物降解;高温(25~35℃)生物降解性能显著。在不同温度下,HAA的生物降解均符合一级反应动力学,反应速率常数为0.01~0.40 min-1;BAC降解HAA的过程不是逐级氢取代卤而是同时脱去所有卤素的反应,卤代乙酸生物反应的活化能为63.5~89.2 kJ/mol。     

蔬菜与餐厨垃圾厌氧发酵启动阶段微生物分析简

为了研究厌氧发酵启动阶段微生物菌群结构、数量变化情况与沼气产量的关系,分别对蔬菜废弃物和餐厨垃圾单一物料发酵进行分析,并测定pH值、挥发性脂肪酸（VFA）、氧化还原电位。结果表明,餐厨垃圾比蔬菜废弃物的启动时间长,但产气持久。蔬菜废弃物中细菌达峰值的时间早于餐厨垃圾,说明蔬菜废弃物中的有机质更利于微生物降解利用。两种原料中的微生物群落结构变化一致,启动阶段初期好氧和兼性厌氧细菌属优势菌,其中产酸菌增殖速率高于氨化细菌,是启动阶段降解有机质的主要菌群。随后厌氧细菌快速增殖,日增殖速率由不足20%增长到近100%并保持稳定。厌氧纤维素降解菌在启动阶段增殖较慢,原料中纤维素降解在厌氧发酵后期。原料液VFA中丁酸含量最多,最高浓度4.7 mg/mL以上,占有机酸总量总量的46%以上,厌氧发酵类型为丁酸发酵型。     

Effects of cold press operating conditions on vegetable oil fatty acid profiles

Although most of jet fuels are currently made from petroleum, nonfood oilseeds such as flax and canola seeds may be an alternative for renewable jet fuel production in the near future. Vegetable oils produced from those oilseeds can be upgraded to liquid hydrocarbons to produce renewable jet fuels. The production efficiency and cost are heavily relied on the vegetable oil fatty acid profile (FAP). Previous research indicated that vegetable oil FAP is affected by oilseed species and oil extraction conditions. Cold press oil extractions from flax and canola seeds were conducted. The effect of the frequency controlling the screw rotating speed on the oil extraction efficiency and quality was discussed. Characterization of the vegetable oils produced, including density, pH value, viscosity, moisture, element component, heating value and FAP, was carried out. The residual oil contents left in the cold press meals were also determined. The results show that the oil extraction efficiency of oilseeds increased when the frequency decreased. For flax and canola seeds, their highest oil extraction efficiency was the same (81.0%), which was both obtained at 15 Hz. The cold press frequency had a minor influence on the FAPs of flax oils. However, the FAPs of canola oils produced at 15 Hz were different from those produced at 20 Hz and 25 Hz to some extent. The main fatty acid in flax and canola oils was linolenic acid and erucic acid, respectively.     

Response of non-enzymatic antioxidative mechanisms to stress caused by infection with Fusarium fungi and chemical protection in different wheat genotypes

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of infection with Fusarium fungi and chemical protection on the contents of phenolic acids and antioxidative potential of extracts from grains of 23 wheat genotypes. Based on chemical analyses including abiotic factors such as weather conditions and the location of the plantation, the authors attempted to clarify non-enzymatic antioxidative response mechanisms to two different stressors in 23 wheat genotypes. Based on chemical analysis, it was found that mass infection with fungi from the genus Fusarium induces defence mechanisms of the plant, which results in an increased production of phenolic acids, mainly those, which are substrates for the production of acids exhibiting antimicrobial action. This mechanism is confirmed by the analyses of antioxidant activity, which also increases significantly during fungal infection, connected with the production of mycotoxins. In the course of chemical plant protection, significant changes were observed in the production of phenolic acids. Even if antioxidant activity was not higher in comparison to the control, an increased production of certain phenolic acids was recorded, which suggests stimulation of the resistance system of the plant, at a simultaneous complete response of antioxidative mechanisms, as it takes place during fungal infection.     

Phenolic compounds in leaves of Salix species and hybrids growing under different soil conditions

The leaves of eight Salix species/hybrids were collected from two sites with different soil conditions including metal concentrations to investigate the concentration of Cu, Zn and Pb, phenolic profile and antioxidant scavenging activity. Cu, Zn and Pb, phenolic content and scavenging activity in leaves from the control area (lower concentration of metals in soil) (site C) were lower than in plants cultivated in site G (higher concentration of metals in soil). The content of Cu, Pb and Zn in leaves was in the range 9.21 (site G)–52.36 (site G), 0.41 (site C)?12.03 (site C) and 27.23 (site C)–214.44 (site G) mg?kg^?1, respectively. Total phenolic content ranged between 18.19 (site C) and 84.71 (site G) mg gallic acid equivalent per gram of dry matter. Total flavonoid content was between 7.98 (site C) and 54.48 (site G) mg catechin g^?1?d.m. The scavenging effect on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl˙ ranged between 33.6% (site C) and 56.3% (site G). Phenolic acids, myricetin and quercetin were quantified in leaves. The results show that phenolics are involved during adaptive mechanisms under elevated content of Cu, Pb and Zn in soil. Changes in the phenolic composition in leaves can be suggested as indicators of metal stress in Salix plants.     

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and obesity,type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a review of epidemiologic findings

Abstract

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a group of fluoro-surfactants widely detected in the environment, wildlife, and humans, have been linked to adverse health effects. A growing body of literature has addressed their effects on obesity, diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease/non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. This review summarizes the brief historical use and chemistry of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, routes of human exposure, as well as the epidemiologic evidence for associations between exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and the development of obesity, diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease/non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. We identified 22 studies on obesity and 32 studies on diabetes, while only 1 study was found for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease/non-alcoholic steatohepatitis by searching PubMed for human studies. Approximately two-third of studies reported positive associations between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances exposure and the prevalence of obesity and/or type 2 diabetes. Causal links between per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and obesity, diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease/non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, however, require further large-scale prospective cohort studies combined with mechanistic laboratory studies to better assess these associations.     

H NMR-based metabolomics investigation of Daphnia magna responses to sub-lethal exposure to arsenic,copper and lithium

Metal and metalloid contamination constitutes a major concern in aquatic ecosystems. Thus it is important to find rapid and reliable indicators of metal stress to aquatic organisms. In this study, we tested the use of ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) – based metabolomics to examine the response of Daphnia magna neonates after a 48 h exposure to sub-lethal concentrations of arsenic (49 μg L⁻¹), copper (12.4 μg L⁻¹) or lithium (1150 μg L⁻¹). Metabolomic responses for all conditions were compared to a control using principal component analysis (PCA) and metabolites that contributed to the variation between the exposures and the control condition were identified and quantified. The PCA showed that copper and lithium exposures result in statistically significant metabolite variations from the control. Contributing to this variation was a number of amino acids such as: phenylalanine, leucine, lysine, glutamine, glycine, alanine, methionine and glutamine as well as the nucleobase uracil and osmolyte glycerophosphocholine. The similarities in metabolome changes suggest that lithium has an analogous mode of toxicity to that of copper, and may be impairing energy production and ionoregulation. The PCA also showed that arsenic exposure resulted in a metabolic shift in comparison to the control population but this change was not statistically significant. However, significant changes in specific metabolites such as alanine and lysine were observed, suggesting that energy metabolism is indeed disrupted. This research demonstrates that ¹H NMR-based metabolomics is a viable platform for discerning metabolomic changes and mode of toxicity of D. magna in response to metal stressors in the environment.