New metallothionein assay in Scrobicularia plana: heating effect and correlation with other biomarkers

Metallothionein (MT) and other biomarker levels were measured in Scrobicularia plana clams to assess pollution of the Guadalquivir Estuary possibly affected by metals released from Aznalcóllar pyrite mine in 1998. After optimizing reagent concentrations for monobromobimane derivatization, MT levels were quantified by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to fluorescence detection (RP-HPLC-FD) in heated or unheated digestive gland extracts and compared to those obtained by differential pulse polarography (DPP). MT content assayed by RP-HPLC-FD in unheated samples was higher than that obtained by DPP and correlated better with metals and anti-oxidant activities. MT assay by RP-HPLC-FD in unheated extracts would be preferable for assessing metal pollution, due to its greater sensitivity and specificity. In addition to MT induction, glyoxalase II inhibition was well correlated with metal contents. Our results suggest that metals at the estuary do not originate from Aznalcóllar spill, but from those carried along by the river and deposited at its concave bank.     

Wastewater-nitrogen removal using polylactic acid/starch as carbon source: Optimization of operating parameters using response surface methodology

The use of PLA/starch blends for nitrogen removal was achieved. The influence of different operating parameters on responses was verified using RSM. The conditions for desired responses were successfully optimized simultaneously. Blends material may have a promising application prospect in the future. Nitrogen removal from ammonium-containing wastewater was conducted using polylactic acid (PLA)/starch blends as carbon source and carrier for functional bacteria. The exclusive and interactive influences of operating parameters (i.e., temperature, pH, stirring rate, and PLA-to-starch ratio (PLA proportion)) on nitrification (Y₁), denitrification (Y₂), and COD release rates (Y₃) were investigated through response surface methodology. Experimental results indicated that nitrogen removal could be successfully achieved in the PLA/starch blends through simultaneous nitrification and denitrification. The carbon release rate of the blends was controllable. The sensitivity of Y₁, Y₂, and Y₃ to different operating parameters also differed. The sequence for each response was as follows: for Y₁, pH>stirring rate>PLA proportion>temperature; for Y₂, pH>PLA proportion>temperature>stirring rate; and for Y₃, stirring rate>pH>PLA proportion>temperature. In this study, the following optimum conditions were observed: temperature, 32.0°C; pH 7.7; stirring rate, 200.0 r·min^-1; and PLA proportion, 0.4. Under these conditions, Y₁, Y₂, and Y₃ were 134.0 μg-N·g-blend^-1·h^-1, 160.9 μg-N·g-blend^-1·h^-1, and 7.6 × 10³ μg-O·g-blend^-1·h^-1, respectively. These results suggested that the PLA/starch blends may be an ideal packing material for nitrogen removal.     

Abating whey organic load through ethanol and lactic acid production by kefir

Abstract

The extent to which selected ethanol and lactic acid production bioprocesses contribute to whey waste abatement was examined. Alcoholic fermentation of whey was carried out by kefir cells immobilized on grape stalks, delignified cellulosic materials, or brewer's spent grains. Lactic acid fermentation was also performed by free kefir cells with or without addition of brewer's spent grains as promoting material. Since whey fermentation rate is affected by the lactose uptake rate, ¹⁴C-labeled lactose was used to study the fermentation ability of kefir. The highest reductions in biochemical oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand of whey, about 68% and 52%, respectively, were achieved by lactic acid fermentation in 6 h at 37 °C and pH 5.5, in the presence of 120 g brewer's spent grains. Additionally, at the same conditions, the highest ¹⁴C-labeled lactose uptake rate by kefir and consequently the highest alcoholic fermentation rate were also recorded. However, greater reductions in biochemical oxygen demand and chemical oxygen demand of whey are required prior to final disposal.     

邻苯二甲酸酯降解细菌的多样性、降解机理及环境应用

邻苯二甲酸酯(phthalic acid esters,PAEs)是一类对人体内分泌系统有干扰作用的持续性有机污染物(persistent organic pol utants,POPs)。PAEs在环境介质如水体、底泥和土壤中长期赋存会对生物体产生毒害效应,其分布广、浓度高和难降解等特点是限制有效环境治理的主要因素。作为环境的重要组成部分,微生物对污染物有很强的适应能力和高效的降解能力,这为PAEs的生物修复提供了可能。与物理化学修复法相比,微生物修复技术具有可控性强、修复面广和灵活性高等优势。本文综述了已报道的大部分PAEs降解细菌的种类及其代谢机制,并分析了其在PAEs污染水体和土壤修复中的应用现状与前景,以期为PAEs环境行为与生物修复研究提供参考。     

腐殖酸与典型碳纳米材料协同光致产生活性氧物种的研究

采用电子自旋共振光谱(EPR)技术,分析腐殖酸在光照下对4种典型碳纳米材料诱导产生单线态氧(~1O_2)和羟基自由基(·OH)的影响。基于密度泛函理论计算4种典型碳纳米材料的前线轨道能,比较了它们分别经能量转移诱导产生~1O_2的能力以及经电子传递诱导产生·OH的能力。结果显示,4种不同形状的碳纳米材料(富勒烯、单壁碳纳米管、多壁碳纳米管以及石墨烯)悬浮液在紫外光照下均无~1O_2和·OH产生。与腐殖酸共同存在下,4种碳纳米材料均显著诱导~1O_2的产生,且富勒烯和石墨烯还能光致生成·OH。协同产生~1_O2的能力大小为:单壁碳纳米管富勒烯多壁碳纳米管石墨烯,协同产生·OH的能力大小为:石墨烯富勒烯。~1O_2的产生能力与碳纳米材料的能隙大小和颗粒聚集程度有关,而诱导产生·OH的能力主要取决于化学硬度。总之,我们的研究表明腐殖酸与碳纳米颗粒可协同产生活性氧物种。     

重金属污染下龟壳攀鲈组织中ACP和AKP的活力比较

龟壳攀鲈是一种在极端污染水域中具备生存优势的鱼类,收集重污染区和轻污染区的龟壳攀鲈,并通过比较其体内各组织中的酸性磷酸酶(ACP)及碱性磷酸酶(AKP)活性来揭示其耐污能力。贵屿作为重污染区有4个采样点:大陇村、市上村、联堤村和北林村;潮州作为轻污染区有2个采样点:卧石村和洗马桥。水质结果表明,贵屿采样地水中的Pb、Cd、Cr、As、Hg含量分别是潮州采样点的27.6倍、3.9倍、5.8倍、3.9倍和3.5倍,说明贵屿采样地的污染远高于潮州的。酶活结果表明,在龟壳攀鲈所有组织中,内脏组织(胃肠、性腺、肝脏、脾脏、肾脏)中的ACP和AKP活力均高于外周组织(肌肉、鳞片、鳃);重金属污染均能提高攀鲈体内所有组织的ACP和AKP活力;AKP活性更容易受到重金属的影响,各组织的AKP活力增幅普遍超过ACP活力增幅;其中,受重金属影响最大的组织是脾脏,ACP和AKP活力可增长到2.37倍和6.21倍。这些结果说明了龟壳攀鲈可以通过显著升高内脏组织(如肠胃、肝脏、肾脏等)中ACP和AKP活性,以便更好地应对高污染环境;其中AKP更容易受到重金属的影响,适合用于作为评估污染的指标。     

遥感技术在水生态环境管理的应用与前景

随着遥感数据源的不断丰富,遥感技术不断提高,可以解决越来越多的水环境问题。指出了当前水生态环境管理方面的主要需求,结合目前遥感技术的发展,对国内外的水环境遥感研究进展进行综述。以湖泊富营养化监测与评估、核电站温排水遥感监测及城市黑臭水体遥感监测为案例,具体阐述遥感在水环境管理中的应用方法及成效。未来水生态环境管理发展趋势将以水污染防治为主向水污染防治和水生态修复与保护并重发展。基于此趋势,提出遥感在水生态修复的应用潜力,利于更多地方部门积极有效应用遥感技术,解决水生态环境问题。     

几种矿业废物的酸化潜力

利用净产酸（NAG）试验和净产酸潜力（NAPP）试验,研究了采自8个矿山共9种废物的49个样品的产酸潜力．结果表明,大部分的样品都具有产酸潜力,这是因为它们较高的含硫量或较低的酸中和能力．本研究也发现NAG试验要比NAPP试验更能准确地预测废物的产酸情况,供试的废物产酸与否的NAG－pH阈值是NAG－pH≥5,不产酸;NAG－pH≤2．5,中度或高度产酸;NAG－pH＞2．5且＜5,低度产酸．本研究结果可为矿业废物的环境管理提供科学依据．     

沼泽红假单胞菌H3对酸性红B2GL染料的厌氧脱色和降解作用

从印染厂污泥中分离到一株沼泽红假单胞菌（ＲｈｏｄｏｐｓｅｕｄｏｍｏｎａｓｐａｌｕｓｔｒｉｓＨ３），在光照厌氧条件下该菌生长细胞可将１００ｍｇ／Ｌ酸性红Ｂ２ＧＬ染料去除到３０ｍｇ／Ｌ．完整细胞脱色的最适条件为ｐＨ７０，温度３０℃，细胞浓度２０—２５ｍｇ／ｍＬ（湿重）．低浓度的阳离子对脱色影响不大．在通Ａｒ气使严格厌氧和加有还原性辅酶Ｉ的条件下无细胞提取液的脱色活性最高，比活率为１５４×１０－２ｍｇ／（ｍｇ·ｈ）．根据降解产物的分析，推断了该菌对酸性红染料的降解代谢途径．     

矿井水中天然总α放射性的混凝处理技术研究

本文研究了混凝沉淀工艺处理矿井水中天然总α放射性核素铀、镭的技术和条件,通过选择适当的混凝剂、加药量、pH值等条件可将铀的去除率提高到80％左右,使用铀专用混凝剂MHU则可使铀的去除率达到87％。对于镭的去除不能单纯依靠铀混凝剂MHU,尚需添加镭的吸附助剂MHR,则可使镭的去除率提高到80％以上。该工艺的最大优点在于充分利用了煤矿现存的大量矿井水悬浮物处理设施,大大节省了新建工程的投资费用,而且新增加的药剂费用不足0.1元/t水,可在煤矿推广应用。