The effect of oil sands process-affected water and naphthenic acids on the germination and development of Arabidopsis

Oil sands mining in the Athabasca region of northern Alberta results in the production of large volumes of oil sands process-affected water (OSPW). We have evaluated the effects of OSPW, the acid extractable organic (AEO) fraction of OSPW, and individual naphthenic acids (NAs) on the germination and development of the model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis). The surrogate NAs that were selected for this study were petroleum NAs that have been used in previous toxicology studies and may not represent OSPW NAs. A tricyclic diamondoid NA that was recently identified as a component of OSPW served as a model NA in this study. Germination of Arabidopsis seeds was not inhibited when grown on medium containing up to 75% OSPW or by 50 mg L⁻¹ AEO. However, simultaneous exposure to three simple, single-ringed surrogate NAs or a double-ringed surrogate NA had an inhibitory effect on germination at a concentration of 10 mg L⁻¹, whereas inhibition of germination by the diamondoid model NA was observed only at 50 mg L⁻¹. Seedling root growth was impaired by treatment with low concentrations of OSPW, and exposure to higher concentrations of OSPW resulted in increased growth inhibition of roots and primary leaves, and caused bleaching of cotyledons. Treatment with single- or double-ringed surrogate NAs at 10 mg L⁻¹ severely impaired seedling growth. AEO or diamondoid NA treatment was less toxic, but resulted in severely impaired growth at 50 mg L⁻¹. At low NA concentrations there was occasionally a stimulatory effect on root and shoot growth, possibly owing to the broad structural similarity of some NAs to known plant growth regulators such as auxins. This report provides a foundation for future studies aimed at using Arabidopsis as a biosensor for toxicity and to identify genes with possible roles in NA phytoremediation.     

Development of QSARs to investigate the bacterial toxicity and biotransformation potential of aromatic heterocylic compounds

A series of aromatic heterocyclic and hydrocarbon compounds were tested for toxicity and biotransformation potential against two contrasting lux-marked whole-cell microbial biosensors. Toxicity was determined by inhibition of light output of a Pseudomonas fluorescens construct that expresses lux constitutively. Biotransformation was tested by increase in light output of P. fluorescens HK44 (pUTK21), which expresses lux when in the presence of a metabolic intermediate (salicylate). The data were then modelled against physical/chemical properties of the compounds tested to see if quantitative structure–activity relationships (QSARs) could be derived. Toxicity was found to be accurately predicted by log K_ow (R²=0.95, Q²=0.88), with the basic (pyridine-ring containing) heterocycles modelled separately. The biotransformation data were best modelled using lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energies (R²=0.90, Q²=0.87).     

生物传感器和生物芯片在环境监测中的应用

阐述了生物传感器和生物芯片的基本概念，对基因芯片技术作了简介，重点叙述了生物传感器和生物芯片技术在环境监测方面的应用，并就其的应用前景作了展望。     

空调系统中温湿度与真菌污染关系的研究

良好的空气质量对人们的健康有着重要的意义。为了了解空调系统中温湿度与真菌污染的关系．利用真菌指数的方法来对其进行评价研究。结果表明环境温湿度都与真菌的生长具有显著相关性,其相关性系数分别为：r=0．912,P〈0．05;r=0．995,P〈0．05。相对湿度的变化对真菌指数的影响要大于温度的变化,减小相对湿度有助于抑制真菌的生长。     

有机磷农药残留检测技术研究进展

综述了近年来有机磷农药残留检测技术的研究进展,其检测方法主要有色谱法、降解酶法、化学发光技术和生物传感技术.详细介绍了几种生物传感器(如酶传感器、微生物传感器、免疫传感器、压电传感器、纳米传感器和液晶型化学传感器)在有机磷农药检测中的应用,并展望了这一领域的发展趋势.