Impact of dissolved organic matter on bioavailability of chlorotoluron to wheat

Chlorotoluron (Chl) is a phenylurea herbicide and is widely used for controlling weeds. While it has brought great benefits to crop production, it has also resulted in contamination to ecosystem. In this study, we investigated accumulation of chlorotoluron (Chl) and biological responses of wheat plants as affected by dissolved organic matter (DOM). Wheat seedlings grown under 10 mg kg⁻¹ Chl for 4 d showed a low level of chlorophyll accumulation and damage to plasma membrane. The growth was inhibited by exposure of chlorotoluron. Treatment with 50 mg DOC kg⁻¹ DOM derived either from sludge (DOM-SL) or straw (DOM-ST) attenuated the chlorotoluron toxicity to plants. Both DOMs decreased activities of catalase, peroxidase and superoxide dismutase in Chl-treated seedlings. However, an increased glutathione S-transferases activity was observed under the same condition. Wheat plants treated with Chl in the presence of DOM accumulated less Chl than those treated with Chl alone. Moreover, in the presence of DOM, bioconcentration factor (BCF) decreased whereas translocation factors increased. Analyses with FT-IR spectra confirmed the regulatory role of DOMs in reducing Chl accumulation in wheat.     

乌蕨孢子繁殖技术的研究

研究了乌蕨(Stenoloma chusanum(L.)Ching)孢子无菌繁殖和常规繁殖方法。结果表明,乌蕨孢子在1/4MS培养基培养时的萌发率最高,达85.3%;在1/2MS培养基中的配子体成苗率最高,达85.9%;1/2MS培养基是培养优质孢子体苗的最佳培养基;河沙与草炭土体积比为1∶1的混合基质是播种孢子的理想基质,孢子萌发率和配子体成苗率分别达到82.6%和73.4%;无菌繁殖和常规繁殖所得的幼孢子体苗移栽成活率均达90%以上。     

2种耐寒生态浮床植物的水质改善性能研究

引种了2种陆地湿生的耐寒植物——黄菖蒲和西伯利亚鸢尾作为生态浮床植物,以水生美人蕉为对比,进行了水质改善实验研究。在6个月实验期内,黄菖蒲、西伯利亚鸢尾和美人蕉（5个月）对SRP的平均去除速率分别为79.27、20.92和34.29 mg/（m²?d）,对TP的平均去除速率分别为86.92、24.91和36.6 mg/（m²?d）,对NH⁺₄-N的平均去除速率分别为517.54、170.57和274.07 mg/（m²?d）,对TN的平均去除速率分别为763.79、301.81和384.04 mg/（m²?d）。黄菖蒲年去除磷的量21 207.64 mg/（m²?a）,是西伯利亚鸢尾的2.6倍,是美人蕉的3.8倍;年去除氮的量186 365.78 mg/（m²?a）,是西伯利亚鸢尾的1.9倍,美人蕉的3.2倍。黄菖蒲和西伯利亚鸢尾耐寒能越冬,生长期长,管理工作量小。     

水浮莲干体吸附去除水中的锑(Ⅲ)

以水浮莲干体为生物吸附剂,考察不同吸附时间、初始pH、水浮莲干体量、摇床转速和反应温度等因素对废水中锑(Ⅲ)的吸附影响;同时通过FTIR、动力学模型以及等温吸附模型等对吸附机理进行研究。结果表明:Sb3+初始浓度为50 mg/L、溶液初始pH为6.8、水浮莲干体用量为1.0 g/25 mL、于(25±1)℃的恒温振荡摇床中以100 r/min振荡吸附反应120 min后,吸附率可达76.8%。水浮莲干体对Sb3+的吸附是一个快速的过程,前10 min的吸附率为52.7%,60 min达到吸附平衡;初始pH对Sb3+的吸附有显著的影响,适宜pH为6.8;在一定范围内,干体量的增加、摇床转速的增大以及温度的升高都会导致吸附率升高。结合FTIR谱图分析得出吸附为化学、物理吸附;准二级动力学模型比准一级动力学模型能更好地描述水浮莲干体对Sb3+的吸附过程;Langmuir和Freundlich吸附等温模型均适合对吸附过程进行拟合,但Lang-muir模型能更好地反映吸附特性,298 K时最大吸附量为1.394 mg/g。水浮莲干体对Sb3+有良好的吸附效果,可用于处理含锑废水,达到以废治废的目的。     

Social responsibility and resource extraction: Are Chinese oil companies different?

In order to meet China’s rapidly increasing demand for oil, Chinese oil companies have been investing in oil production around the world. This article addresses one specific aspect of the more generalized fears expressed about China’s increasing demand for natural resources which is the impact that its oil companies will have on the corporate social responsibility (CSR) movement. In doing so, it limits its analysis to the three main Chinese oil companies: the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), the China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (Sinopec) and the China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) and their investments in sub-Saharan Africa.     

A clash of cultures (and lawyers): Anglo Platinum and mine-affected communities in Limpopo Province,South Africa

The human rights related controversies surrounding Anglo Platinum's Mogalakwena mine in South Africa's Limpopo Province hit the world stage in 2008, attracting public scrutiny and instigating much debate in the realm of international business and human rights discussions. We provide an in-depth analysis of the controversies at Mogalakwena, and Anglo Platinum's responses. This case study contributes to ongoing debates on mining company-community relations in the context of the emerging business and human rights agenda, specifically with respect to the notion of human rights ‘due diligence’. We argue that the Mogalakwena case study illustrates the risks of companies adhering to and emphasizing the technical and logistical facets of due diligence, without sufficient attention to the relational, communicative and emergent aspects, which are closely tied to corporate culture. We highlight the complexities of company-community relationships, with particular reference to the issues of legitimate community representation and participatory decision-making, and discuss the role that organizational culture plays in exacerbating or mitigating corporate-community conflict. The case study demonstrates how legal challenges often exacerbate rather than resolve the conflicts that arise due to a clash between corporate and community cultures. We suggest the need for corporate leaders to become more conscious of this cultural dimension of effective social management, particularly when interacting with communities whose cultures are markedly different from those of business corporations.     

Tolerance, uptake and removal of nitrobenzene by a newly-found remediation species Mirabilis jalapa L

The growth, photosynthesis rate, and ultrastructure of Mirabilis jalapa L. as a newly-found remediation species under stress of nitrobenzene (NB) and its uptake and removal of NB by the plants were investigated. The results showed that M. jalapa plants could endure contaminated soils by lower than 10.0 mg NB kg⁻¹ because there was no decrease in the total length of the plant roots, the maximum length of the hypocotyle, the length of the first seminal root, the height of the shoots and the dry biomass of the seedlings as well as the photosynthesis rate of the plants compared with those in the control. In particular, the growth of the plants could be significantly (P < 0.01) enhanced by 0.1 mg NB kg⁻¹ under unautoclaved and autoclaved soils. Ultrastructural observations on leaf cells of the plants found that these cells had smooth, clean and continuous cell membranes and cell walls, indicating that there was no obvious damage by NB in comparison with those in the control. Although the absorption of NB in shoots and roots of M. jalapa was weak, plant-promoted biodegradation of NB was considerable and the dominant contribution in the removal of NB from contaminated soils, suggesting the feasibility of M. jalapa applied to phytoremediation of NB contaminated soils.     

Short-term impact of olive mill wastewater (OMWW) applications on the physico-chemical and microbiological soil properties of an olive grove in Argentina

The purpose of this work was to investigate the effects of spreading olive oil mill wastewater (OMWW) on soil biochemical parameters and olive production in an organically managed olive orchard. The experiment was carried out with three different doses of OMWW (80, 160 and 500 m³ ha^?1) and a control (untreated soil). Three samplings were done at 10, 30 and 90 days after the administration of the byproduct. OMWW application differentially modified the biochemical properties of the soil analyzed. Organic matter, organic carbon, total nitrogen and extractable phosphorus soil contents increased proportionally with each increasing dose. The values of these parameters decreased gradually with time. Total microbial activity was altered and the OMWW 500 m³ ha^?1 treatment proved to be the most active when compared with the other applied doses. OMWW agricultural application also modified the structure of soil microbial communities, particularly affecting Gram positive and negative bacteria, while fungal biomass did not show consistent changes. Although there was a salinity increase in the treated soil, especially at the highest dose, the productive parameters analyzed (fruit and oil tree^?1) were not affected. In light of the obtained results, we consider that low dose of OMWW could be considered an alternative farming practice for semiarid regions.     

两株镉抗性奇异变形杆菌对龙葵修复镉污染土壤的强化作用

以广东省大宝山尾矿区植物根际土壤为分离样品,人工制备镉污染LB培养基,从中分离筛选出2株具有较强镉耐受能力的细菌,分别为TL3和DBS2,最高镉耐受浓度达300mg／L。结合其形态学特征、生理生化特性及16SrDNA序列分析,初步确定2株菌均为奇异变形杆菌（Proteusmirabilis）。随后以龙葵为实验植株,分别接种TL3、DBS2及TL3与DBS2混菌的培养液,通过盆栽实验检验2株菌对龙葵吸收土壤中镉的强化作用。结果显示,2株菌对龙葵吸收镉具有显著的提升作用,且能够促进植株的生长,3个实验组龙葵根部镉含量分别比对照组（122．7mg／kg）增加了17．2％、85．6％和130．1％。