ESEM–EDX characterisation of airborne particles from an industrialised area of northern Greece

The aim of this study was to characterise individual airborne particles collected from the Ptolemais-Kozani region (Western Macedonia), northern Greece. Throughout a 1-year period (March 2003 to February 2004), we collected several filters that captured airborne particles at seven sampling sites distributed throughout the area. The airborne particles captured on the filters were then characterised by environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). The particles were categorised as geogenic, biogenic and anthropogenic. The main anthropogenic airborne particles were fly ash (released from lignite-fired power plants) and carbonaceous (soot and char) and metalliferous (mainly iron- and copper-enriched) particulates. We present here characteristic ESEM and EDX spectra for the airborne particles and underline the presence of characteristic primary and secondary sulphates.     

微波作用下表面活性剂在膨润土上的吸附行为特征

探讨了微波辐照时间、CPC浓度对微波合成有机膨润土的层间距、有机碳含量的影响,以及CPC在有机膨润土合成过程中的吸附动力学与热力学.结果表明,微波辐照90～120 s时,CPC在膨润土的饱和吸附量与常规合成的相当,达0 .001?63 mol·g^-1,当微波辐照2 min时,CPC浓度为1 .20 mmol·L^-1时,合成的有机膨润土的层间距达到最佳的2 .44 nm,有机碳含量达23 .45%; AFM分析表明微波不会破坏膨润土的层状结构;微波对CPC在膨润土上的吸附有较大的影响,可提高吸附反应速度常数107 .6倍,并降低体系的自由能.     

Biotransformation of 17α-methyltestosterone in sediment under different electron acceptor conditions

17α-Methyltestosterone (MT), an anabolic androgenic steroid, is used widely in inducing an all male population in aquaculture farming of fish, such as Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Current understanding of the occurrence and fate of MT in the sediments and the surrounding areas of the aquaculture ponds are very limited. Bioassay tests showed that MT was biotransformed under aerobic and sulfate-reducing conditions with a half-life of 3.8 d and 5.3 d, respectively, with complete disappearance of androgenic activity. However, under methanogenic condition, MT was found to biotransform but the androgenic activity continued to persist even after 45 d of incubation. In contrast, MT was found to transform slowly under iron(III)-reducing condition and was hardly transformed under nitrate-reducing condition. A possible reason for the lack of transformation of MT under nitrate-reducing condition is the presence of the methyl group at the C-17 position. The results of this study suggest that MT and its degradation products with androgenic activity may potentially accumulate in the sediments of fish farming ponds under iron(III)-reducing, nitrate-reducing and methanogenic conditions.     

Relationship of surface changes to metal leaching from tungsten composite shot exposed to three different soil types

Physical changes that occur on the surface of fired shots due to firing and impact with soil may increase the dissolution of muniton metals. Increased metal dissolution could potentially increase metal transport and leaching, affecting metal concentrations in surface and groundwater. This research describes the relationship between the surface changes on fired tungsten-nickel-iron (94% W:2% Ni:4% Fe) composite shots and metals leaching from those shots. Tungsten composite shot was fired into, and aged in, three soil types (Silty Sand, Sandy Clay, and Silt) in mesoscale rainfall lysimeters to simulate live-fire conditions and subsequent interactions between the metals of the composite and soil. Leachate, runoff, and soil samples were collected from the lysimeters and analyzed for metal content. The shots were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to evaluate surface changes. SEM results indicated that a soil’s particle size distribution initially affected the amount of metal that was sheared from the surface of the fired W-composite shots. Shearing was greatest in soils with larger soil particles (sand and gravel); shearing was least in soils composed of small soil particles (fines). Increased metallic shearing from the shot’s surface was associated with increased W dissolution, compared to controls, following a simulated 1 year soil aging.     

Apolipophorin III and transmission electron microscopy as toxicity indicators for harmaline and tea saponin in Spodoptera exigua (Noctuidae: Lepidoptera)

Apolipophorin III, traditionally known for lipid transport in insects is fairly established as toxicity indicator against harmaline and tea saponin during this study. Apolipophorin III expressed in the hemolymph and midgut tissues of 3rd, 4th, 5th larval instars and pupae of Spodoptera exigua. Apolipophorin III presence was further confirmed by achieving its partial cDNA (Genbank accession no. FJ606822) of 448 bp. qRT PCR revealed that tea saponin resulted in significant reduction of gene expression in 3rd and 4th larval instars but increased in 5th instar as compared to control. Harmaline caused gradual increase of gene expression in 3rd, 4th and 5th instars after feeding on the treated diet. Fifth instar larvae synonymously resulted in the highest gene expressions against both the biochemicals. After the injection of harmaline and tea saponin abrupt increase in gene expression of 4th, 5th larval instar and pupae was observed as compared to control treatment. Transmission electron microscopy of midgut epithelium after being fed with harmaline and tea saponin depicted certain cytological changes. Harmaline treatment lead to cytoplasm vacuolization, mitochondrial disruption, spherocrystals with concentric layers, irregular nucleus and floating nuclei in cytoplasm. Tea saponin treatment resulted in denser cytoplasm, higher intracellular osmotic concentration and reduced complement of apical microvilli. Cells were found to have only a few mitochondria and glycogen deposits in comparison to control treatment.     

Phenanthrene uptake by Medicago sativa L. under the influence of an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus

Phenanthrene uptake by Medicago sativa L. was investigated under the influence of an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus. Inoculation of lucerne with the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus etunicatum L. resulted in higher phenanthrene accumulation in the roots and lower accumulation in the shoots compared to non-mycorrhizal controls. Studies on sorption and desorption of phenanthrene by roots and characterization of heterogeneity of mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal roots using solid-state ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹³C NMR) demonstrated that increased aromatic components due to mycorrhizal inoculation resulted in enhanced phenanthrene uptake by the roots but lower translocation to the shoots. Direct visualization using two-photon excitation microscopy (TPEM) revealed higher phenanthrene accumulation in epidermal cells of roots and lower transport into the root interior and stem in mycorrhizal plants than in non-mycorrhizal controls. These results provide some insight into the mechanisms by which arbuscular mycorrhizal inoculation may influence the uptake of organic contaminants by plants.     

Polymer coating of copper oxide nanoparticles increases nanoparticles uptake and toxicity in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Copper oxide nanoparticles (CuO NPs) are frequently used in a polymer-coated form, to be included in paints or fabrics for antimicrobial properties. Their application in antifouling paints may lead to the contamination of aquatic ecosystems. However, the toxicological risk of NPs in the environment is hard to evaluate due to a lack of knowledge on the mechanisms of NP interaction with biological systems. In this study, we investigated the effect of polymer coating on CuO NP toxicity in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii by comparing bare and polymer-coated CuO NPs prepared from the same CuO nanopowder. Both CuO NP suspensions were toxic to C. reinhardtii after 6 h treatment to concentrations of 0.005-0.04 g L⁻¹. Bare and polymer-coated CuO NPs induced a decrease of Photosystem II activity and the formation of reactive oxygen species. Polymer-coated CuO NP was found to be more toxic than the uncoated CuO NP. The higher toxicity of CS-CuO NP was mainly associated with the increased capacity of polymer-coated CuO NP to penetrate the cell compared to bare CuO NPs. These results indicates that the high toxicity of polymer-coated CuO NPs in algal cells results of intracellular interactions between NPs and the cellular system.     

Motor Vehicle Contributions to Ambient PM10 and PM2.5 at Selected Urban Areas in the USA

A source apportionment study was carried out to estimate the contribution of motor vehicles to ambient particulate matter (PM) in selected urban areas in the USA. Measurements were performed at seven locations during the period September 7, 2000 through March 9, 2001. Measurements included integrated PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ concentrations and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Ambient PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ were apportioned to their local sources using the chemical mass balance (CMB) receptor model and compared with results obtained using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results indicate that PM_2.5 components were mainly from combustion sources, including motor vehicles, and secondary species (nitrates and sulfates). PM₁₀ consisted mainly of geological material, in addition to emissions from combustion sources. The fractional contributions of motor vehicles to ambient PM were estimated to be in the range from 20 to 76% and from 35 to 92% for PM_2.5 and PM₁₀, respectively.     

Fish scales as bio-indicator of water quality of River Ganga

Various studies have been conducted in the past on the fresh waters related to the various aspects of limnology, physico-chemistry, primary productivity, plankton etc. in relation to environmental conditions and ecology, flora and fauna of River Ganga. In the present investigation some recent approach have been made to study the various parts of fishes like gill structures, scales for age determination, length and weight of fish for growth assessments etc. The SEM study of scales in relation to pollution and environmental conditions is a recent approach. At this stage, in the present study the scales of two most common fishes found in the study stretch were involved to create a base line.     

常温ANAMMOX工艺运行性能及功能菌研究

通过改变进水基质浓度,对以火山岩为填料的常温上向流厌氧氨氧化生物滤池在不同基质浓度下的脱氮性能进行了研究.借助显微镜、电镜(SEM)观察对滤池内的微生物形态进行了分析,利用变性凝胶电泳(DGGE)和克隆测序等微生物方法,对ANAMMOX种属进行了鉴定.试验结果表明,常温条件下,厌氧氨氧化滤池在高、低不同基质下都能够保持较高的脱氮效果,其中TN去除负荷最高能够达到2.99kgN/(m3×d),NH4+-N和NO2--N最高去除率分别能够达到99.4%和98.8%;显微镜、电镜观察显示:滤池下部的微生物种类更丰富,ANAMMOX菌在滤池的中部和上部的比例更高;16SrRNA克隆测序鉴定结果表明:滤池中的ANAMMOX菌为Candidatus Kuenenia stuttgartiensis,其对温度和基质浓度都有着较宽的适应性.