Advances in research on haloalkane dehalogenases and its sulfur mustard degradation function北大核心CSCD

Sulfur Mustard (bis-(2-chloroethyl) sulphide, HD), also known as yperite, is one of the most important blister agents. It could react with a large number of biological molecules with a strong cytotoxicity effect, resulting in blistering, erosion and necrosis of the skin and various tissues. Recently, several classes of microbial enzymes have been found to be able to degrade HD with high catalytic activity but no disadvantages of the common chemical decontamination of HD. Haloalkane dehalogenases (HLDs, EC3.8.1.5) draws great research attention for environmentally friendly decontaminating HD with only nontoxic thiodiglycol produced. In order to provide theoretical reference basis for enzymatic decontamination of HD, this paper reviews the observation and evolutionary relationship, structures, substrate specificities, catalytic properties and potential applications of these HLDs with high catalytic hydrolysis of HD. The analysis shows that these HLDs belonging to the same subfamily have different substrate specificities but similar spatial structures of the catalytic triad contributing to the common SN2 nucleophilic substitution reaction mechanism for catalytic hydrolysis of HD. The paper also suggests that the problems on improving poor stability of HLDs and efficiency of catalytic hydrolysis of HD should be addressed by methods of molecular biology, genetic engineering and immobilized techniques.     

Building a place‐responsive society through inclusive local projects and networks

This paper presents the story of a project undertaken by researchers who are active participants in the national Australian debate over place and belonging. It arose from the desire to ground this debate, which brings issues of ecological sustainability, reconciliation and multiculturalism together, in more localised action aimed at building a ‘place‐responsive society’. The project was carried out as a case study in a region that combines part of the Sydney metropolitan area and the separate ‘city’ of the Blue Mountains, and involved a consultative committee and then a regional forum of conservationists, environmental educators and community workers. The researchers explored existing place‐oriented initiatives in the region and developed practical projects for the future, most notably a proposal for ‘totemic species’ work within schools involving local Aboriginal people. The research demonstrated, more than anything else, that indigenous Australian approaches to ‘place awareness’ and nature conservation remain highly relevant in contemporary Australia. It also showed that bioregional awareness and the notion of place responsiveness can add value to more traditional approaches to nature conservation and environmental education. There are opportunities to galvanise local action that can integrate community and environmental work and revitalise professional practice in both areas, but the effort involves working constantly with difference and conflict.     

Metals removal from aqueous solution by iron-based bonding agents

GOAL AND SCOPE AND BACKGROUND: The application of a promising method, termed sorptive flotation, for the removal of chromium(VI) and zinc ions was the aim of the present paper. A special case of sorptive flotation is adsorbing colloid flotation. Suitable sorbent preparation techniques have been developed in the laboratory. METHODS: Sorptive flotation, consisting of the sorption and flotation processes combined in series, has proved to give fast and satisfactory treatment of the industrial streams and effluents bearing dilute aqueous solutions of zinc and chromium(VI). RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Goethite has proved to be effective for the removal of chromium(VI) and zinc ions. Also, adsorbing colloid flotation with ferric hydroxide (as the co-precipitant) could be an alternative method to the above-mentioned separation of metal ions. In both cases, chromium(VI) (pH=4) and zinc (pH=7) removal was about 100%. CONCLUSION: The reasons for selecting the iron-based bonding materials, like goethite and/or in-situ produced ferric hydroxide, are that they are cheap, easily synthesized, suitable both for cation and anion sorption, and, furthermore, that they present low risks for adding a further pollutant to the system. Promising results were obtained. RECOMMENDATION AND OUTLOOK: The application of goethite and in-situ produced ferric hydroxide has demonstrated their effectiveness in the removal of heavy metal ions, such as chromium anions and zinc cations. A proposed continuation of current work is the utilization of similar iron oxides, for instance synthesized akaganeite. The comparison between the results reported in this paper with the results reported in the literature, also deserves attention.     

Manganese-catalyzed degradation of phosphonic acids

The non-biodegradable and chemically very stable phosphonates are used in a variety of industrial applications including cooling waters, oil production and textile industry. We show here that they are degraded in the presence of Mn(II) and oxygen. The half-life for the reaction is 9 min near neutral pH. The presence of other cations such as Ca(II) and Zn(II) considerably slows down the reaction by competition with Mn(II) for the phosphonate. The reaction involves the oxidation of complexed Mn(II) by oxygen to Mn(III) and the subsequent oxidation of phosphonate by Mn(III) thus yielding two stable phosphonic acid breakdown products. The oxidation also proceeds in the presence of the mineral manganite (Mn(III)OOH), and yields the same breakdown products. The use of a newly developed chromatographic method revealed the presence of the breakdown products in wastewater. The results show that manganese-catalyzed oxidation might be an important pathway for phosphonate degradation in natural waters. Electronic Publication     

浙江-闽北陆架沉积物硫酸盐还原菌及与生物地球化学因子关系的分析

采用ＭＰＮ法测定浙江－闽北陆架沉积物的硫酸盐还原菌（ＳＲＢ），结果表明，在表层其出现率和平均含量各为８４．２％和４３６．８个（细胞／ｇ（湿重）），浅层则各为４２．４％和１６４个／ｇ，近岸的南区表层和浅层沉积物ＳＲＢ出现率、平均含量分别为９３．０％、５７６个／ｇ和３３．３％、２６７个／ｇ；远岸的北区则分别为７５．０％、３０２个／ｇ和５３．３％、４１个／ｇ，分析了ＳＲＢ含量与相应样品中硫化物、有机质含     

鳌合剂对铅在土壤-作物体系中的迁移积累的调节作用

研究了鳌合剂对铅污染土壤上玉米生长的影响和对玉米吸收铅的促进作用,并针对江阴地区蔬菜地土壤进行了鳌合剂的优化选择。结果表明:在不加鳌合剂的情况下,铅污染土壤对玉米的生长影响较小,加了鳌合剂后土壤中有效态铅浓度明显增加,玉米对铅的吸收与土壤中有效态铅浓度呈显著正相关,玉米的生长受到极大地抑制,且EDTA对玉米吸收铅的促进作用大于DTPA。研究结论为进一步利用植物修复重金属污染土壤提供理论和实践依据。     

Simulation of aquatic food web and species interactions by adaptive agents embodied with evolutionary computation: a conceptual framework

Individual-based and state variable-based adaptive agents (AA) are discussed regarding their relevance to different types of ecosystems. Individual-based AA proved applicable to a spatially explicit simulation of highly simplified terrestrial food webs. State variable-based AA with evolutionary computation (EC) embodied are suggested for the simulation of aquatic food webs and plankton species interactions. Embodiment of EC in AA can be achieved by evolving predictive rules (ER), differential equations (EDE) or artificial neural networks (ANN) derived from a diverse lake database. In order to provide ecosystem simulation with resilience to environmental change, agent banks can be created containing alternative agents for same species or functional groups from different lakes. State variable-based AA are currently tested for aquatic ecosytem simulation by means of a diverse lake database. It promises to overcome constraints by the rigidity of traditional lake ecosystem models.     

无机抗菌剂在建筑涂料中的应用研究

研究了5种无机抗菌剂：锌型沸石抗菌剂、银型沸石抗菌剂、氧化锌晶须复合抗菌剂、纳米TiO2光催化抗菌剂和Ca10-x-yTixZny（PO4）6（OH）2复合抗菌剂在涂料中的应用.以对大肠杆菌（E.coli）的灭菌效果评价抗菌性能.结果表明：锌型抗菌涂料的抗菌效果较差,后4种类型抗菌涂料具有很好抗菌效果.但是,银型抗菌剂和氧化锌晶须复合抗菌剂在涂料中存在易引起涂料变色和难分散问题;纳米TiO2光催化型抗菌剂在涂料中易加快涂料老化;而Ca10-x-yTixZny（PO4）6（OH）2复合抗菌剂既具有良好的抗菌性能,又对涂料的基本性能没有影响,它能够应用到抗菌涂料中.     

砂页岩赤红壤磷肥活化效果及其机理研究

应用不同活化剂处理不同性质的磷肥，并对其在砂页岩赤红壤中的生物效应及作用机理进行了研究。结果表明，在砂页岩赤红壤上，施用供试的儿种经活化剂处理的磷肥均能显著提高蔬菜生物量。砂页岩赤红壤中的铁、锰质量分数与磷素的有效性有密切的关系，且在还原条件下，土壤铁、锰对磷的固定作用更大；硅、钙可促进土壤中磷的释放。供试活化剂不仅可促进难溶磷的释放，还可控制水溶性磷的释放，使土壤供磷性能平稳；有机活化剂的用量，用于难溶性磷促释时其质量分数为3％，用于水溶性磷控释时其质量分数约为14％。在土壤-植物体系中，活化剂对磷的促释和控释机理是它通过对土壤铁、锰、铝质量分数的调节而实现对磷的活化。     

Utilisation of Supernatants of Pure Cultures of Streptomyces thermocarboxydus NH50 to Reduce Chromium Toxicity and Mobility in Contaminated Soils

Chromium is a heavy metal used in various industrial sectors. Improper handling and storage of chromium-laden effluents or wastes can lead to the pollution of the environment. The most toxic form is the more mobile one: hexavalent chromium Cr(VI). The reduction of Cr(VI) results in the immobilisation of chromium into its less toxic trivalent form Cr(III). This phenomenon may prevent the contamination of groundwater when the soil in the vadose zone is contaminated. Many bacteria have been isolated from contaminated soils and described to reduce Cr(VI) into Cr(III). A new Cr(VI)-reducing strain, identified as a Streptomyces thermocarboxydus,has been isolated and studied in our laboratories for its ability to reduce Cr(VI). This aerobic bacterium, in contrast to other genera described which mediate reduction via enzymes, produces reducing agents into the culture supernatants. Cr(VI) reduction by these substances is accelerated by the presence of small concentration of cupric ions (Cu²⁺). The reducing agent(s) can be easily recovered from the bacterial cultures and used as cell-free solution to treat contaminated soils by an in situ or ex situ processes.