Microbial fuel cells: Advances in electrode modifications for improvement of system performance

There is an increasing trend to conduct the researches related to Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) in the recent years. Limited power output has been the major obstacle for the practical application and upscaling of MFCs. Attempts have been made on electrode modifications such as anode treatments, cathode modifications with catalysts and bio cathodes developments to produce varying degrees of improved output current depending upon the types of modifications. Power density and Coulombic efficiency have been considered as the important parameters to analyze the system performances. This paper overviews on the advances made in MFCs’ researches focusing on different types of electrodes modifications along with the involved methodology. Furthermore, the system performances of different modified MFCs are compared in terms of the power density and the Coulombic efficiency.     

城市不同源雾霾颗粒物健康风险差异评估比较

通过研究不同来源霾颗粒物对大鼠气管上皮细胞（RTE cells）电阻抗变化和细胞自噬因子的影响,评价不同来源霾颗粒物对人体健康风险的差异性.分别将RTE暴露于从居民区（I）,高架交通源（Ⅱ）和化工园区（Ⅲ）采集的3种雾霾颗粒物中,统一暴露浓度和时间分别为100mg/L和24h.通过电子细胞基质阻抗检测（ECIS）细胞增长引起的阻抗变化和细胞电损伤恢复时间;通过蛋白免疫印迹测定p62,Atg5,Atg7,Beclin1,LC3B和mTOR蛋白表达量来分析比较不同来源雾霾颗粒物对RTE细胞自噬的影响.结果表明,与空白对照组相比,不同雾霾颗粒物处理组细胞电损伤恢复时间分别延长了34.6%,63.2%和78.0%;p62蛋白表达量差异显著性下降,Atg5,Atg7,Beclin1,LC3B蛋白表达量差异显著性上升.此外,mTOR相关蛋白表达量差异显著性下降,分别下降了4.38%,3.34%和2.36%;p-mTOR蛋白表达量与空白组相比,实验组I下降24.2%,实验组Ⅱ下降37.0%,实验组Ⅲ下降60.9%.由以上结果可知,不同来源雾霾颗粒物对RTE细胞均有一定的毒性损伤作用,能够减小细胞增长速度和削弱细胞修复能力,增强细胞自噬因子蛋白的表达,且化工园区采集的雾霾颗粒物毒性强于居民区和高架交通源.不同来源雾霾颗粒物的细胞毒性存在明显差异,基于细胞电损伤恢复时间的测定以及自噬相关蛋白的检测方法能够为雾霾颗粒物健康风险评价提供一种快速的生物学手段.     

铜绿微囊藻与藻际细菌Ma-B1菌株的相互作用

藻与细菌通常共生于淡水生境,形成藻-菌共生体系,藻际细菌是水体生态系统中的重要组成部分,对藻的消长起重要的调控作用,但有关藻际微环境中藻与细菌的互作机制还不清楚. 采用传统的细菌平板培养方法,从太湖优势水华藻——铜绿微囊藻(Microcystis aeruginosa)细胞表面分离出一株藻际细菌Ma-B1,基于生理、生化试验和16S rRNA基因序列分析,初步鉴定为甲基营养芽孢杆菌(Bacillus methylotrophicus). 通过测定细胞生长,分析藻-菌相互作用机理. 结果表明:一定浓度(＞60 μg/mL)的Ma-B1的胞外代谢物可显著抑制铜绿微囊藻的生长(培养基为BG11,28 ℃/日,22 ℃/夜,3 000 lx,光暗比为14 h∶10 h);铜绿微囊藻的胞外滤液(500 μL/mL)对Ma-B1的生长有一定的促进作用,但其总滤液(500 μL/mL)显著促进Ma-B1的生长;Ma-B1细胞对铜绿微囊藻的生长没有显著影响,而高浓度(藻菌比10∶1)的铜绿微囊藻细胞则可显著抑制Ma-B1的生长. 铜绿微囊藻与Ma-B1之间存在复杂的相互抑制或促进关系,共同影响着藻、菌在自然水体生态系统中的消长.      

3种增塑剂单独和联合暴露对MCF-7细胞增殖的影响

为了探究结构差异较大、应用较为广泛的几类增塑剂雌激素活性的联合效应,选择邻苯二甲酸二丁酯(DBP)、双酚A(BPA)和壬基酚(NP)作为邻苯二甲酸酯、双酚A类和烷基酚类增塑剂的代表物进行试验.用DBP、BPA和NP单独及两两混合处理MCF-7细胞.采用MTT法检测培养24h、48 h、72 h和96h时的细胞增殖情况.采用流式细胞术检测药物培养48h后的细胞生长周期分布,并计算细胞增殖指数(PI).运用效应叠加模型(ES)判定联合效应类型.结果表明,在单独暴露试验中,DBP、BPA和NP组PI均大于1,且均能提高S期(DNA合成期)细胞比例.因此,DBP、BPA和NP均能显著促进MCF-7细胞增殖.混合暴露试验中,1)DBP和BPA在MTT试验中24h、48h、72 h和96h时的效应叠加指数(ESI)分别为1.013 9、1.023 8、0.9999、1.010 8,在流式细胞仪试验中ESI为1.014 1.因此,DBP和BPA的雌激素活性联合效应为加和作用.2)DBP和NP在MTT试验中24 h、48 h、72 h和96 h时的ESI分别为1.004 0、1.008 6、1.011 5、1.010 3,流式细胞仪试验中ESI为0.997 0.因此,DBP和NP的雌激素活性联合效应为加和作用.3)BAP和NP在MTT试验中24h、48 h、72 h和96h时的ESI分别为0.980 6、0.981 8、0.977 7、0.973 3,流式细胞仪试验的ESI为0.912 8.由此可知,BPA和NP的雌激素活性联合效应为拮抗作用.因此,可以采用MCF-7细胞增殖试验研究环境污染物雌激素活性联合效应.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in cigarette sidestream smoke particulates from a Taiwanese brand and their carcinogenic relevance

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) adsorbed on cigarette sidestream smoke particulates (CSSPs) have been regarded as important contributors to lung carcinogenesis in never smokers. However, limited information is available on PAH levels in cigarette sidestream smoke. Here we determine the concentrations of 22 PAHs, including 16 US EPA priority PAHs, in CSSPs generated from a high market-share domestic brand in Taiwan. Five of the 22 PAHs are undetectable. The remaining 17 PAHs constitute about 0.022% of the total mass of CSSPs. Near one fifth of the PAH mass come from IARC group 1 and group 2 carcinogens. Carcinogenic potency is equivalent to 144 ng benzo[a]pyrene per cigarette converted according to potency equivalency factors (PEFs). The CSSP condensate could activate AhR activity and induce AhR target gene expression. High concentrations of CSSPs also exhibited AhR-independent cytotoxicity. However, mixing the 17 PAHs as the composition in the CSSP condensate could not reconstitute either capacity. Since AhR activation and cytotoxicity are important mechanisms underlying carcinogenic potency, the results suggest that other component compounds play a more active role in carcinogenesis. The approach of individual PAH profiling plus PEF conversion commonly used in risk assessment is likely to underestimate the risk caused by environmental cigarette smoke exposure.     

Hydroxytyrosol, the phenolic compound of olive oil protects human PBMC against oxidative stress and DNA damage mediated by 2,3,7,8-TCDD

The protective effect of hydroxytyrosol (HT), a strong antioxidant compound from extra virgin olive oil, against TCDD induced toxicity was investigated in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). PBMC (1 × 10⁶ cells mL⁻¹) were divided into four groups and were incubated in a CO₂ incubator (5% CO₂) for 12 h with vehicle, TCDD (10 nM), TCDD + HT (10 nM + 100 μM) and HT alone (100 μM) respectively. To clarify the role of HT against TCDD induced cytotoxicity, oxidative stress and the levels of antioxidant enzymes were assessed. Incubation of PBMC with TCDD significantly decreased cell viability, catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and increased the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione reductase (GR) and oxidative stress markers such as lipid peroxidation products (LPO), protein carbonyl content (PCC) and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Whereas, HT had an effective antioxidant property as observed by the increased cell viability, normalization of antioxidant enzymes and decreased levels of LPO, PCC and ROS in PBMC co-treated with HT and TCDD. Apoptosis detection and comet assay results shows that HT, by acting as an antioxidant, prevents the damage to DNA induced by TCDD. In addition light microscopic and histopathological observations revealed that the cells are apoptotic and degenerated during TCDD treatment, whereas cells showed intact morphology during co-treatment with HT. On the whole, the results reveal that HT exerts a promising antioxidant potential in protecting the PBMC against TCDD induced oxidative stress, which might be due to the presence of catechol moiety in its structure.     

基于pH值调控的沉积型微生物燃料电池（SMFC）运行特性

以蓝藻发酵液为处理对象,分别研究两极区pH值对沉积型微生物燃料电池（Sediment Microbial FuelCell,SMFC）运行特性的影响.结果表明,阳极碱性（pH=8.5）阴极酸性（pH=5.5）时,SMFC输出功率最高（83.55 mW·m-2）,COD去除率（63%）仅次于阴、阳极中性（阴、阳极pH值均...     

基于原代培养背角无齿蚌鳃细胞的镉毒性效应评价

为了探究淡水贝类背角无齿蚌鳃细胞的原代培养途径，并阐释其在评价水体Cd²⁺毒性效应上的潜力，本研究比较了不同酶分解方法（链霉蛋白酶、胰蛋白酶）的鳃细胞存活率差异，并分析了L-15培养基中不同血清浓度（10% FBS、20% FBS）对鳃细胞存活率的影响，细胞置于20℃生化培养箱中培养.进而根据Cd²⁺对鳃细胞的LC₂₅值设定0.0625、0.125、0.25、0.5和1.0 mg·L^-1 5个Cd²⁺理论浓度梯度，对原代培养的鳃细胞进行24 h暴露，分析了细胞活力、总超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、过氧化氢酶（CAT）和酸性磷酸酶（AcP）的变化特征.结果表明：0.025%链霉蛋白酶在4℃分解16 h的鳃细胞存活率为98.2%±0.2%，显著高于0.25%胰蛋白酶在26℃分解30 min的89.4%±3.5%鳃细胞存活率（p<0.05）；L15培养基加入10% FBS的细胞存活率总体显著高于添加20% FBS的细胞存活率（p<0.05）.在上述较佳的分解和血清浓度组合条件下，细胞培养120 h后，其存活率仍高达90.1%±4.7%.鳃细胞活力随着Cd²⁺浓度的增加而降低，两者之间呈显著的线性负相关（p<0.05）；随着Cd²⁺浓度的增加，SOD和AcP含量总体增加，而CAT含量呈现出"诱导-抑制"的变化趋势.本研究初步建立了较为适宜的背角无齿蚌鳃细胞的原代培养方法，并揭示了其原代培养鳃细胞的细胞活力及SOD、CAT、AcP水平，具有作为评价水环境Cd²⁺毒性/污染的生物指标的潜力.