Production,respiration and net ecosystem metabolism in U.S. estuaries

Primary production, respiration, and net ecosystem metabolism (NEM) are useful indicators of ecosystem level trophic conditions within estuaries. In this study, dissolved oxygen data collected every half hour between January 1996 to December 1998 by the National Estuarine Research Reserve System Wide Monitoring Program were used to calculate primary production, respiration, and net ecosystem metabolism. Data from two sites at each of 14 Reserves were analyzed. On average, three quarters of the data available could be used to calculate metabolic rates. Data from two of the Reserves were used to evaluate the assumption of homogeneity of water masses moving past the oxygen sensor. Temperature was the single most important factor controlling metabolic rates at individual sites, although salinity was also important at about half the sites. On an annual basis, respiration exceeded gross primary production demonstrating that all but 4 of the 28 sites were heterotrophic.     

基于[火用]分析法的矿区工业生态链物质能量流动研究

从工业生态学角度研究矿区工业生态系统的工业代谢和工业生态链，建立矿区物质循环与能量流动[火用]分析和[火用]效率模型。根据生态效率的理念，矿区发展需要五项关键支撑技术，为合理选择煤炭的产业链延伸途径打下理论基础，促进矿区可持续发展。     

城市碳排放的评估方法——影响要素和过程研究

城市碳排放对全球碳循环和气候变化产生了深远的影响。论文在国内外城市碳排放研究基础上,从城市化的碳排放效应、城市碳排放估算和影响要素、碳排放观测、碳循环和碳代谢过程等方面系统归纳总结了碳排放评估方法、要素和过程。评述了Kaya恒等式、LMDI方法、CGE模型、混合分析法、清单编制法、UE模型、FFDAS模型、STIRPAT模型、格网模型、综合分析法(Four-part Methodology)、建筑碳排放模型、物质代谢法、EC碳通量观测等代表性碳排放估算和观测方法。研究焦点正在从宏观模式转向微观机理,从自然、人文单一过程转向人文-自然耦合过程,热点区域从发达国家城市转向发展中国家城市,从单一数据源转向遥感、实验观测等多源数据。基于上述特点,当前研究应从城市公平发展和低碳城市出发,建立城市公共利益能源研究框架,根据城市职能类型和发展水平,综合涡度通量观测、计量模型、生态模型、遥感和GIS技术,构建高精度城市碳排放账户,建立城市代谢存量和流量标准分类系统,发展和完善碳排放估算模型,提高城市碳排放计算结果精度和城市间的可比性。     

工业园能源代谢分析

运用工业代谢分析方法对某农药化学工业园能源代谢系统进行量化分析. 结果表明:提升能源转化水平、改善能源利用效率是优化该工业园能源系统的2个有效途径,可减少能源代谢过程中的资源消耗与环境压力. 进一步根据能源代谢模型量化分析得出,提升工业园热电厂运行水平,达到供热煤耗0.043 t/GJ,供电煤耗4.538 t/(104 kW·h)(2004年江苏省平均水平),将较2005年水平减少原煤消耗35.31%;将能源利用水平较低企业的电力利用效率和蒸汽利用效率分别提高到园区平均水平(58.01%和63.84%),可较2005年水平减少原煤消耗2.5%左右.      

利用填埋层内生物代谢控制生活垃圾填埋场渗滤液污染

讨论了目前国内卫生填埋场运行中存在的渗滤液问题 ,分析了不同填埋结构中生物代谢环境和主要污染物的代谢途径 ,探讨了不同填埋结构中利用渗滤液回灌来控制渗滤液污染的“生物反应器型”填埋技术。     

Cyanide Removal by Chinese Vegetation. Quantification of the Michaelis-Menten Kinetics (6 pp)

Background Little is known about metabolism rates of environmental chemicals by vegetation. A good model compound to study the variation of rates among plant species is cyanide. Vascular plants possess an enzyme system that detoxifies cyanide by converting it to the amino acid asparagine. Knowledge of the kinetic parameters, the half-saturation constant (Km) and the maximum metabolic capacity (vmax), is very useful for enzyme characterization and biochemical purposes. The goal of this study is to find the enzyme kinetics (KM and vmax) during cyanide metabolism in the presence of Chinese vegetation, to provide quantitative data for engineered phytoremediation, and to investigate the variation of metabolic rates of plants. Methods Detached leaves (1.0 g fresh weight) from 12 species out of 9 families were kept in glass vessels with 100 mL of aqueous solution spiked with potassium cyanide at 23°C for 28 h. Four different treatment concentrations of cyanide were used, ranging from 0.44 to 7.69 mg CN/L. The disappearance of cyanide from the aqueous solution was analyzed spectrophotometrically. Realistic values of the half-saturation constant (KM) and the maximum metabolic capacity (vmax) were estimated by a computer program using non-linear regression treatments. As a comparison, Lineweaver-Burk plots were also used to estimate the kinetic parameters. Results and Discussion The values obtained for KM and vmax varied with plant species. Using non-linear regression treatments, values of vmax and KM were found in a range between 6.68 and 21.91 mg CN/kg/h and 0.90 to 3.15 mg CN/L, respectively. The highest vmax was by Chinese elder (Sambucus chinensis), followed by upright hedge-parsley (Torilis japonica). The lowest vmax was demonstrated by the hybrid willow (Salix matssudana x alba). However, the highest KM was found in the water lily (Nymphea teragona), followed by the poplar (Populus deltoides Marsh). The lowest KM was demonstrated by corn (Zea mays L.). The values of vmax were normally distributed with a mean of 13 mg CN/kg/h. Conclusions Significant removal of cyanide from aqueous solution was observed in the presence of plant materials without phytotoxicity, even at high doses of cyanide. This gives rise to the conclusion that the Chinese plant species used in this study are all able to efficiently metabolize cyanide, although with different maximum metabolic capacities. A second conclusion is that the variation of metabolism rates between species is small. All these plants had a similar KM, indicating the same enzyme is active in all plants. Recommendations and Outlook Detoxification of cyanide with trees seems to be a feasible option for cleaning soils and water contaminated with cyanide. For phytoremediation projects, screening appropriate plant species adapted to local conditions should be seriously considered. More chemicals should be investigated to find common principles of the metabolism of environmental chemicals by plants.     

甲基一六O五降解菌J5的分离及其降解性状研究

从农药厂污水处理系统中分离到 1株降解甲基一六O五 (O ,O-二甲基 -O- 对硝基苯基 -硫代磷酸酯 ,简称MP)的芽胞杆菌 ,初步鉴定为蜡状芽胞杆菌 (Bacilluscereus)J5。J5能够高效降解MP ,但它不能利用MP作为唯一碳源生长 ,其代谢方式可能为共代谢。在有葡萄糖作为碳源的条件下 ,J5可以高效转化MP ,其转化效率可达 95 %以上。用薄层层析、紫外扫描和液相色谱法初步研究了J5对MP的降解性能及相关降解产物     

Effects of three pesticides on the avoidance behavior of earthworms in laboratory tests performed under temperate and tropical conditions

Little research has been performed on the impact of pesticides on earthworms under tropical conditions. Taking into consideration the often-limited resources in tropical countries, simple screening tests are needed. Therefore, it was investigated whether three pesticides relevant for the Brazilian Amazon (benomyl, carbendazim, lambda-cyhalothrin) affect the avoidance behavior of the earthworm Eisenia fetida. The tests were performed for two days according to ISO guideline 17512 but were adapted to tropical conditions (i.e. test substrate, test organism and temperature). The results indicate that this test gives reproducible and reliable results. Toxicity values (NOEC, EC50) are lower than those determined in 14 day-acute mortality tests and are approximately in the same range such as those found in 56 day-chronic reproduction tests with the same earthworm species, which were performed in parallel. Therefore, the use of the earthworm avoidance tests is recommended as a screening tool for the risk assessment of pesticides.     

The herbicide paraquat induces alterations in the elemental and biochemical composition of non-target microalgal species

Huge quantities of pesticides are dispersed in the environment, affecting non-target organisms. Since paraquat affects the photosynthetic process, the biochemical composition of affected species should be altered. The effect of paraquat on Chlamydomonas moewusii, a freshwater non-target species, was studied. After 48 h of herbicide exposure, growth rate, dry weight, and chlorophyll a and protein content were affected by paraquat concentrations above 0.05 μM. C/N ratio was also affected due to a decrease in nitrogen content in the dry biomass, while the carbon content remained constant for all paraquat concentrations assayed. Enzymes involved in nitrogen assimilation were affected by paraquat, being nitrate reductase activity more sensitive to paraquat than nitrite reductase. Based on the results obtained in the present study, paraquat exerts adverse effects upon a common freshwater green microalga, thus the application of this herbicide for weed control must be carried out very carefully, so that any disturbance affecting algae will have severe repercussions on higher trophic levels and on the elemental biogeochemical cycles.