Marine Organisms as Indicators of Heavy Metal Pollution-Experience from 16 Years of Monitoring at a Lead Zinc Mine in Greenland

In monitoring the impact of a lead-zinc mine in Greenland, species of fish, prawns, seaweed and mussels have been analysed for cadmium, copper, lead and zinc for several years. These metals have been released to the marine environment in significant amounts from the mining operation.     

低温弱光条件下毒死蜱对黄瓜的毒性效应及油菜素内酯的调控作用

农药在使用中可能对农作物产生药害作用,而在低温弱光的亚适宜条件下,设施作物对农药暴露的应激响应可能具有特殊性。同时,作为一种新型植物激素,油菜素内酯在亚适宜条件下是否能够缓解农药的药害作用的研究有限。以典型的设施作物黄瓜为受试生物,通过人工气候箱模拟低温弱光的亚适宜条件,在毒死蜱(浓度分别为0.3和1mmol·L-1)暴露1、3和7d后,以实时荧光定量PCR对黄瓜叶片中光合作用基因(psaB、psbA和rbcL)、抗氧化系统相关基因(cAPX、DHAR、GR、CAT和GPX)、防御和应激相关基因(PAL、HPL、ADC和HSP70)的转录水平进行检测,阐明其毒性效应。并对比24-表油菜素内酯的预处理组,探讨油菜素内酯如何调控作物对农药胁迫的响应。结果表明,在低温弱光条件下,毒死蜱暴露抑制了黄瓜叶片中上述大部分基因的转录,而24-表油菜素内酯预处理后其转录水平显著上升,表明24-表油菜素内酯可有效且持续地缓解毒死蜱的药害效应。     

Developed fungal–bacterial biofilms as a novel tool for bioremoval of hexavelant chromium from wastewater

Remediation measures for hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] are required for a safe environment. As a recent development in microbiology, bacterial biofilms are being studied as effective bioremediation agents. When bacteria are in fungal surface-attached biofilm mode, they are called fungal–bacterial biofilms (FBBs). They have not been tested for bioremediation so far. Hence, this study was conducted to develop FBBs and glass-wool-attached bacterial biofilms (BBs), and to evaluate Cr(VI) tolerability and removal of bacterial monocultures, BBs and FBBs. FBBs showed a significantly high level of Cr(VI) tolerance and resistance compared with its BBs or monocultures. After 10 days, up to 90% of Cr(VI) had been removed, which was significantly higher than that of BBs or its monocultures. Thus, it is clear that FBBs can be used as a novel tool to decontaminate Cr(VI) both in situ and ex situ.     

Short term effects of copper, sulfadiazine and difloxacin on the anaerobic digestion of pig manure at low organic loading rates

Antibiotics of inorganic and organic origin in pig manure can inhibit the anaerobic process in biogas plants. The influence of three frequently used antibiotics, copper dosed as CuSO₄, sulfadiazine (SDZ), and difloxacin (DIF), on the anaerobic digestion process of pig manure was studied in semi-continuous experiments. Biogas production recovered after every Cu dosage up to a sum of 12.94 g Cu kg⁻¹ organic dry matter (ODM), probably due to Cu precipitation following the formation of sulphide from sulphate. Complete inhibition was found at the very high Cu concentration of 19.40 g Cu kg⁻¹ ODM. Inhibitory effect of SDZ and DIF was observed at concentrations as high as 2.70 g kg⁻¹ ODM and 0.54 g kg⁻¹ ODM, respectively. It seems very unlikely that the antibiotics tested would inhibit the anaerobic process in a full-scale biogas plant.     

Toxicokinetic-toxicodynamic modelling in an individual based context—Consequences of parameter variability

Toxicokinetic-toxicodynamic (TKTD) models simulate the time-course of toxicant concentration in the organism and toxicity at the level of the organism. A link between TKTD models that simulate survival and individual based models for populations (IBMs) is proposed which allows TKTD parameters to vary between individuals. The TKTD-IBM predicts different survival in response to toxicants when TKTD parameters vary amongst individuals compared to the survival predicted with fixed TKTD parameters. The model with fixed parameters represents the concept of stochastic death whereas the model with variable parameters behaves, at least partly, according to the individual tolerance distribution concept. The whole set of TKTD parameters of an individual can be interpreted as constituting “individual tolerance”.     

圆柏属常绿木本植物δ^13C值的季节变化与抗冷冻性的关系

以祁连圆柏Sabina przewalskii和圆柏Sabina chinensis为材料,研究了圆柏属植物的抗冷冻性与针叶δ^13C值季节变化的关系。结果表明,两种圆柏属植物的δ^13C值均随温度的降低而减小并在整个冬季维持较低水平。表明圆柏属植物为了抵抗低温的伤害,加强了自身能量物质的消耗,即呼吸作用增强,导致植物体内的δ值偏向更负。在整个测定期中,祁连圆柏的δ^13C值都显著高于圆柏的δ^13C值,表明在低温胁迫过程中,圆柏为适应低温、提高其抗冷冻能力所消耗自身能量物质的量远高于祁连圆柏。这与祁连圆柏具有较强的抗冷冻适应性策略一致。此外,两种圆柏属植物碳同位素组成与月均温度表现出极显著的线性相关性,并且与脯氨酸（Pro）质量分数、针叶相对含水量（RWC）也都表现出极显著的线性相关性。因此,碳同位素组成可以作为鉴定圆柏属植物抗冷冻性的又一重要指标。     

耐低温混菌降解苯系物的特性及菌种鉴定研究

以吉化双苯厂被硝基苯、苯系物（BTEX）污染的土壤为菌源,经过筛选驯化得到一组在低温条件（10℃）下可降解苯系物（BTEX）的混菌。室内研究表明,在10℃,pH=6.8,苯系物（BTEX）总质量浓度200mg·L^-1的条件下,84h后该菌对苯、甲苯、乙苯、二甲苯的降解率依次为93.2%、95.6%、91%、88.4%、对6种质量浓度的苯系物（BTEX）污染物中最难降解的苯进行降解动力学曲线模拟,当苯质量浓度小于17.48mg·L-1时,降解符合一级降解动力学,当苯的质量浓度为17.48～195.30mg·L^-1时,降解符合零级降解动力学、该混菌降解效果稳定、适应环境能力强,经80次传代后仍能保持良好的降解效果,且在6个不同地区含有不同背景组成的地下水中降解效果稳定、应用Biolog细菌自动鉴定系统和16SrDNA序列分析方法对降解率较高的3株菌B2、B4、B6作菌种鉴定,B2为嗜麦芽糖寡养单胞菌（Stenotrophomonas maltophilia）,B4为斑生假单胞菌（Pseudomonas maculicola）,B6为多刺假单胞菌（Pseudomonas spinosa）。     

Optimization of the electrocoagulation process for the removal of copper, lead and cadmium in natural waters and simulated wastewater

Chemical, electrochemical and flow variables were optimized to examine the effectiveness of the electrocoagulation process for the removal of copper, lead and cadmium. The electrochemical process, which uses electrodes of commercial laminate steel, was applied to simulated wastewater containing 12 mg dm(-3) of copper, 4 mg dm(-3) of lead and 4 mg dm(-3) of cadmium. The optimum conditions for the process were identified as pH=7, flow rate=6.3 cm(3) min(-1) and a current density between 31 and 54 A m(-2). When the electrode geometric area and time of electrolysis reached critical values, the copper removal reached a maximum value of 80%. A linear relationship was identified between the current density and the mass of generated sludge. In addition, a linear relationship was found between specific energy consumption and current density. The results of this investigation provide important data for the development of an industrial-scale electrolytic reactor.     

Metallurgical analysis of the ‘cause’ arc beads pattern characteristics under different short-circuit currents

Electric arc beads commonly cause large fire and explosion accidents, especially during the powder process industries. During such fires, the original equipment is often severely burned, rendering electrical fire investigation impossible. Therefore, identifying the beads caused by electrical faults through metallurgical investigation is crucial. This study focused on the ‘cause’ of arc beads and determined their pattern characteristics through metallurgical analysis of copper wires with short-circuit currents of 100, 160, 200, and 240 A. According to microstructure characteristics and metallographic knowledge, bead pattern characteristics were divided into six types: hypereutectic (A), dendritic eutectic (B), chilled layer (C), cellular crystal (D), dendritic (E), and coarse columnar crystal (F). Oxide levels of each category were A (4.5%–7.6%) > C (2.0%–3.8%) > B (1.1%–2.4%) > D (1.0%–2.1%) > E (0.6%–1.9%) > F (0.1%–0.7%). When the short-circuit currents were the same, there were a greater number of small particle beads than large ones. As the current increased, the number of distributed beads with a particle size d < 1 mm decreased, with 1 mm ≤ d < 2 mm increased, and with d ≥ 2 mm were stable. Bead size and distribution had a negative linear correlation at 200 A. When the current increased, the proportion of beads with A and C structures gradually decreased, and those with D structures increased to more than 50%. Oxygen content and arc temperature determined the oxide form. These results are vital for electrical fire investigations and provide theoretical support for fire material evidence extraction and cause identification.     

铬离子对SBR工艺活性污泥毒性作用研究

针对重金属铬离子对SBR工艺系统中活性污泥的毒性作用,通过检测不同初始污泥容积指数(SVI)下SBR工艺活性污泥在不同铬负荷下的COD值、挥发性污泥浓度以及受铬离子影响的污泥容积指数(SVI),研究重金属铬离子对活性污泥的毒性作用以及对SBR工艺系统处理污水的影响。研究表明,重金属铬离子会导致SBR工艺系统出水COD升高;将铬离子对活性污泥的毒性作用按照挥发性污泥(MLVSS)铬负荷可划分为耐受范围、非耐受范围、细胞失活范围以及细胞分解范围。耐受范围铬负荷低于约30 mg Cr3+/gMLVSS,此范围内铬离子对于活性污泥的毒性作用不大,不致于导致系统出水水质变差;非耐受范围铬负荷在约30~65 mg Cr3+/g MLVSS,在铬离子作用下系统出水COD值明显高于对照系统;细胞失活范围铬负荷在约70~100 mg Cr3+/gMLVSS范围内,SVI大幅下降,微生物部份死亡和失活,出水COD尽管有一些下降,但与进水COD相比差不了多少;细胞分解范围铬负荷在约100 mg Cr3+/gMLVSS以上,微生物大量死亡,部分死亡细胞分解,系统出水COD值因微生物的死亡分解而超出进水COD值,受铬离子影响的系统SVI值大幅度降低。