Variations between rice cultivars in root secretion of organic acids and the relationship with plant cadmium uptake

To attempt to understand certain mechanisms causing the variations between rice cultivars with regard to Cd uptake and accumulation, pot soil experiments were conducted with two rice cultivars at different levels of Cd, i.e., 0 (the control), 10, 50 mg Cd kg⁻¹ soil. The two rice cultivars differ significantly with regard to Cd uptake and accumulation. Root secretions of low-molecular-weight organic acids (LMWOA) for each treatment were measured with ion chromatography. The results showed that LMWOA concentrations in the soil planted with Shan you 63 (a high soil Cd accumulator) were all higher than those in the soil planted with Wu yun jing 7 (low soil Cd accumulator) at different soil Cd levels, although the magnitudes of the differences varied for individual LMWOA and depend on soil Cd concentrations. For all six LMWOA, there were significant differences at P < 0.05 or < 0.01 levels for soils treated with 10 and 50 mg kg⁻¹ Cd. The magnitude of the differences was greater under soil Cd treatments, especially at relatively low levels (for example, 10 mg Cd kg⁻¹ soil), than in the control. Acetic acid and formic acid constituted more than 96% of the total concentration of the six LMWOA, while citric acid constituted only about 0.1%. The rice cultivar with higher concentrations of LMWOA in soil accumulated more Cd in the plants. The results indicate that LMWOA secretion by rice root, especially in Cd-contaminated soils, is likely to be one of the mechanisms determining the plant Cd uptake properties of rice cultivars.     

Monitoring of environmental exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: a review

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a large group of organic compounds with two or more fused aromatic rings. They have a relatively low solubility in water, but are highly lipophilic. Most of the PAHs with low vapour pressure in the air are adsorbed on particles. When dissolved in water or adsorbed on particulate matter, PAHs can undergo photodecomposition when exposed to ultraviolet light from solar radiation. In the atmosphere, PAHs can react with pollutants such as ozone, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide, yielding diones, nitro- and dinitro-PAHs, and sulfonic acids, respectively. PAHs may also be degraded by some microorganisms in the soil. PAHs are widespread environmental contaminants resulting from incomplete combustion of organic materials. The occurrence is largely a result of anthropogenic emissions such as fossil fuel-burning, motor vehicle, waste incinerator, oil refining, coke and asphalt production, and aluminum production, etc. PAHs have received increased attention in recent years in air pollution studies because some of these compounds are highly carcinogenic or mutagenic. Eight PAHs (Car-PAHs) typically considered as possible carcinogens are: benzo(a)anthracene, chrysene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, benzo(k)fluoranthene, benzo(a)pyrene (B(a)P), dibenzo(a,h)anthracene, indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene and benzo(g,h,i)perylene. In particular, benzo(a)pyrene has been identified as being highly carcinogenic. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has promulgated 16 unsubstituted PAHs (EPA-PAH) as priority pollutants. Thus, exposure assessments of PAHs in the developing world are important. The scope of this review will be to give an overview of PAH concentrations in various environmental samples and to discuss the advantages and limitations of applying these parameters in the assessment of environmental risks in ecosystems and human health. As it well known, there is an increasing trend to use the behavior of pollutants (i.e. bioaccumulation) as well as pollution-induced biological and biochemical effects on human organisms to evaluate or predict the impact of chemicals on ecosystems. Emphasis in this review will, therefore, be placed on the use of bioaccumulation and biomarker responses in air, soil, water and food, as monitoring tools for the assessment of the risks and hazards of PAH concentrations for the ecosystem, as well as on its limitations.     

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi can decrease the uptake of uranium by subterranean clover grown at high levels of uranium in soil

Subterranean clover inoculated or not with the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus Glomus intraradices was grown on soil containing six levels of 238U in the range 0-87 mg kg(-1). Increasing U concentration in soil enhanced the U concentration in roots and shoots of both mycorrhizal and nonmycorrhizal plants but had no significant effects on plant dry matter production or root AM colonization. Mycorrhizas increased the shoot dry matter and P concentration in roots and shoots, while in most cases, it decreased the Ca, Mg and K concentrations in plants. The AM fungus influenced U concentration in plants only in the treatment receiving 87 mg U kg(-1) soil. In this case, U concentration in shoots of nonmycorrhizal plants was 1.7 times that of shoots of mycorrhizal plants. These results suggested that mycorrhizal fungi can limit U accumulation by plants exposed to high levels of U in soil.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, black carbon, and molecular markers in soils of Switzerland

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were analysed in 23 soil samples (0–10 cm layer) from the Swiss soil monitoring network (NABO) together with total organic carbon (TOC) and black carbon (BC) concentration, as well as some PAH source diagnostic ratios and molecular markers. The concentrations of the sum of 16 EPA priority PAHs ranged from 50 to 619 μg/kg dw. Concentrations increased from arable, permanent and pasture grassland, forest, to urban soils and were 21–89% lower than median numbers reported in the literature for similar Swiss and European soils. NABO soils contained BC in concentrations from 0.4 to 1.8 mg/g dw, except for two sites with markedly higher levels. These numbers corresponded to 1–6% of TOC and were comparable to the limited published BC data in soil and sediments obtained with comparable analytical methods. The various PAH ratios and molecular markers pointed to a domination of pyrogenically formed PAHs in Swiss soils. In concert, the gathered data suggest the following major findings: (1) gas phase PAHs (naphthalene to fluorene) were long-range transported, cold-condensated at higher altitudes, and approaching equilibrium with soil organic matter (OM); (2) (partially) particle-bound PAHs (phenanthrene to benzo[ghi]perylene) were mostly deposited regionally in urban areas, and not equilibrated with soil OM; (3) Diesel combustion appeared to be a major emission source of PAH and BC in urban areas; and (4) wood combustion might have contributed significantly to PAH burdens in some soils of remote/alpine (forest) sites.     

Bioaccumulation kinetics of sediment-associated DE-83 in benthic invertebrates (Nereis succinea, polychaete)

Polychaetes (Nereis succinea) were exposed to DE-83 contaminated sediments to investigate the bioaccumulation and bioavailability of nona- and deca-BDEs in sediment. All the major congeners in DE-83 were bioavailable to the lugworms. The uptake coefficients (K_s) of nona- and deca-BDE congeners in lugworms were in the range of 0.18-0.65 (d⁻¹), with the values of BDE-207 and -208 slightly higher than those of BDE-206 and -209. Elimination of nona- and deca-BDE congeners from lugworms was very fast. The estimated half-lives of nona- and deca-BDE congeners in the lugworms were at 0.7 d. The bioavailability of nona- and deca-BDE congeners was very low, with BSAF of 0.017 for BDE-206 and -209 and 0.054 for BDE-207 and -208. These may be due to the large molecular size and high affinity of PBDEs to sediment particles. The contribution of BDE-206 in the profile of nona-BDEs in lugworm tissue decreased with exposure time while those of BDE-207 and -208 increased, which could be the result of the biotransformation of BDE-209 to BDE-207 and -208.     

Biodegradation and phytotoxicity assessment of phenanthrene by biosurfactant-producing Bacillus pumilus 1529 bacteria

ABSTRACT

Phenanthrene is a toxic and mutagenic pollutant that can cause severe environmental and human health issues. The bioremediation of these polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) is possible with a biosurfactant by enhancing hydrophobicity. In this study, the production of a biosurfactant by Bacillus pumilus 1529 and its effects on the phenanthrene biodegradation pathway were examined. Biosurfactant production was determined using hemolytic activity, emulsification index, and surface tension. For phenanthrene metabolite detection, samples at 0, 7, 14, and 21 incubation days were analysed by gas chromatography-mass (GC-mass) spectrometry. The results showed that Bacillus pumilus 1529 can reduce surface tension to 22.83?±?1.1?mN?m^?1. Furthermore, the GC-mass spectrometry analysis showed that 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid, benzaldehyde, o-phthalic acid, and phenylacetic acid were notable phenanthrene metabolites produced during phenanthrene biodegradation. Biodegraded phenanthrene and its metabolites have a less toxic effect on the germination of safflower seeds than non-biodegraded phenanthrene. The IC50 of phenanthrene on seed germination after biodegradation was increased to approximately 113?mg?L^?1. In general, biodegradation aided by biosurfactant producing bacteria contributed to turning the toxic phenanthrene into less harmful metabolites with lower phytotoxicity effects, indicating that its application in the bioremediation of PAHs is promising.     

Environmental impact assessment (EIA): Equilibrium fugacity calculations and worst case approach

A mathematical model UNITRISK which can be used for screening purposes and risk ranking was set up to calculate relative risk values of single chemicals and mixtures of chemicals towards single or mixtures of organisms via contamination of air, water, soil and food dose. The concentration values are calculated by applying the fugacity concept or a dose must be defined. The dose-response is assumed to be linear versus concentration and degradative processes are not considered which is the worst case. The assumption that equilibria between the environmental phases exist is simplifying the model and is also representing the worst case. A mean risk factor is calculated which is 1 if the endpoint values (LC₅₀, LD₅₀, ADI, etc.) are exceeded for the investigated organisms and man.     

Uptake and Dupuration of Petroleum Hydrocarbons By the Backwater Clam, Meretrix Casta Chemnitz

Meretrix casta were experimentally exposed to water soluble fractions of refined and crude oil and their rate of accumulation of the petroleum hydrocarbons including total and individual aromatics viz., naphthalene, methylnaphthalene and dimethylnaphthalene, was studied. Subsequent transfer to clean waters in the laboratory and field resulted in depuration of the accumulated hydrocarbons from tissues. in general, the rate of discharge was found to be dependent on the concentration that the animals had been earlier exposed to and also the alkylation of aromatic hydrocarbons. Occasional increases were observed in the hydrocarbon values of clams which were placed in the field, compared to their laboratory counterparts, suggesting an intermittent source of petroleum hydrocarbon input into the environment. the influence on the rate of uptake, release and retention of hydrocarbons in the clams is discussed.     

大气颗粒物中多环芳烃的监测

本文报导了大气颗粒物中多环芳烃的一种测定方法和结果。颗粒物预处理方法是:超声萃取,抽滤,减压蒸发浓缩,硅胶柱净化,再浓缩,定容溶解。用高效液相色谱法分离和鉴定。对西南石油学院5个功能区冬季大气颗粒物中的苯并(a)芘等9种多环芳烃的分布状况进行了实测,苯并(a)芘平均含量为26ng/m~3,为国外一些大城市冬季值的三倍,为国内一些大城市冬季污染值的二分之一。     

A 25-year record of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soils amended with sewage sludges

We studied polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in crop soils amended with 1000 tonnes dry weight of sewage sludges per 10,000 m² from 1974 to 1992, then after sludges addition from 1993 to 1999. The absence of variations of total PAHs levels of control soils, averaging at 123 μg/Kg, shows the absence of horizontal contamination. During sludges addition, the total PAHs levels in amended soils increased from 232 to 402 μg/Kg. Seven years after sludges addition, it decreased to 275 μg/Kg, which is still more than twice –the levels of control soils. This finding shows that sludges PAHs are preserved in crop soils for long periods of time, on a human scale.