Epibrassinolide ameliorates Cr (VI) stress via influencing the levels of indole-3-acetic acid, abscisic acid, polyamines and antioxidant system of radish seedlings

The present investigation determined the effects of epibrassinolide (EBL) on the levels of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), abscisic acid (ABA), and polyamine (PA) and antioxidant potential of 7-d old Raphanus sativus L. cv. ‘Pusa chetki’ seedlings grown under Cr (VI) metal stress. Reduced titers of free (0.767 μg g⁻¹ FW) and bound (0.545 μg g⁻¹ FW) IAA in Cr (VI) stressed seedlings were observed over untreated control. Supplementations of EBL to Cr (VI) stressed seedlings were able to enhance both free (2.14-5.68 μg g⁻¹ FW) and bound IAA (2.45-7.78 μg g⁻¹ FW) concentrations in comparison to Cr (VI) metal treatment alone. Significant rise in free (13.49 μg g⁻¹ FW) and bound (12.17 μg g⁻¹ FW) ABA contents were noticed for Cr (VI) stressed seedlings when compared to untreated control. No significant increase in ABA contents were recorded for Cr (VI) stressed seedlings upon supplementation with EBL over Cr (VI) treatment alone. A significant increase in Put (18.40 μg g⁻¹ FW) and Cad (9.08 μg g⁻¹ FW) contents were found for 10⁻⁹ M EBL plus Cr (VI) metal treatments when compared to Cr (VI) treatment alone. Spermidine (Spd) contents were found to decline significantly for EBL treatment alone or when supplemented with Cr (VI) treatments over untreated controls and Cr (VI) treatment alone. Antioxidant levels were found to enhance, with glutathione (57.98 mg g⁻¹ FW), proline (4.97 mg g⁻¹ FW), glycinebetaine (39.01 μmol mL⁻¹), ascorbic acid (3.17 mg g⁻¹ FW) and phytochelatins (65.69 μmol g⁻¹ FW) contents noted for EBL supplemented to Cr (VI) metal solution over Cr (VI) treatment alone. Reduced activities of guaiacol peroxidase (0.391 U mg⁻¹ protein) and catalase (0.221 U mg⁻¹ protein) and enhanced activities of glutathione reductase (7.14 U mg⁻¹ protein), superoxide dismutase (15.20 U mg⁻¹ protein) and ascorbate peroxidase (4.31 U mg⁻¹ protein) were observed in seedlings treated with EBL plus Cr (VI) over Cr metal treatment alone. Reduced MDA (2.55 μmol g⁻¹ FW) and H₂O₂ (33.24 μmol g⁻¹ FW) contents were recorded for 10⁻⁹ M EBL supplemented to Cr (VI) stress over Cr (VI) treatment alone. Enhancement in free radical scavenging potential as indicated by higher values of 1,1-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl, deoxyribose and reducing power activity assays, and increased levels of phenols and soluble sugars also showed significant influence of EBL in alleviating Cr (VI) stress in radish seedlings.     

Evaluation of the antimutagenic and antiradical potentials of extracts from the tubers of (Tunisian) Cyperus rotundus

The mutagenic potential of aqueous, total oligomers flavonoids (TOF), ethyl acetate and methanol extracts from tubers of Cyperus rotundus L. was assessed using Ames Salmonella tester strains TA98 and TA100, and SOS chromotest strain Escherichia coli PQ37 with and without metabolic activation (S9). None of the different extracts produced a mutagenic effect. Likewise, the antimutagenicity of the same extracts was tested using the “Ames test” and the “SOS chromotest”. Our results showed that C. rotundus extracts possess antimutagenic effects against S. typhimurium TA98 and TA100 strains towards the mutagen aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), similar to E. coli PQ37 strain against AFB1 and Nifuroxazide mutagens using the SOS chromotest assay. A free radical scavenging test was used in order to explore the antioxidant capacity of the extracts obtained from the tubers of C. rotundus. TOF, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts showed an important free radical scavenging activity towards the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazine (DPPH) free radical. These extracts showed an IC50 value of respectively 5, 20 and 65?µg?mL^?1. The beneficial effects of TOF, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts of C. rotundus were assessed by antioxidant and antimutagenic activities.     

Increased environmental gamma-ray dose rate during precipitation: a strong correlation with contributing air mass

It has long been observed that the environmental gamma-ray dose rate increases noticeably during precipitation intervals. This increase, due to the presence of radon progeny in the rain droplets (or snow flakes), can affect the reliability of the monitoring of artificial radioactivity and long term estimates of exposure to ambient natural radionuclides in surveillance network. Predicting the amplitude of the dose increase has been shown to be surprisingly challenging. In this work, standard air mass back trajectory analysis is used to show that the amplitude of the increase can be quantitatively linked to the history of the air mass where the precipitation is occurring. Furthermore, we show how back trajectory analysis, environmental gamma and rain data can be used to obtain estimations of relative radon emanation rates for locations far from the actual point of detection.     

雨滴表面惯性粒子捕集的湍流效应数值分析

雨滴对气溶胶粒子的清除系数与捕集效率密切相关,并依赖于雨滴附近的气流型式.考虑到实际大气背景均为湍流状态,分别对层流和湍流状态下大尺寸雨滴表面上惯性粒子的捕集过程进行了数值模拟,讨论了湍流脉动对不同粒子轨迹的畸变和扰动.结果表明,层流条件下的模拟结果与已有的实验结果具有很好的一致性.若对雨滴的绕流附加一个湍流强度,则雨滴附近流动速度的随机变化将对粒子的运动轨迹产生明显的影响,导致惯性粒子在湍流状态下被雨滴捕获的效率大于层流捕集效率,湍流脉动效应对粒子捕集效率的提高幅度随粒子尺度的增大而减弱.     

2016年12月江苏省两次连续污染过程气象条件对比分析

利用地面常规气象观测资料、NCEP（National Centers for Environmental Prediction）再分析资料、AQI（空气质量指数）、ρ（PM_2.5）、ρ（PM₁₀）等大气环境监测数据,对2016年12月江苏省连续出现的两次大范围大气污染过程进行了对比分析.结果表明:这两次连续污染天气过程可分为颗粒物积聚-清除-再积聚-彻底清除4个阶段,相应地,地面形势表现为均压场-低压倒槽-西路冷空气-东路冷空气.第1次污染天气形成和维持主要是长时间受均压场控制、近地层逆温和高相对湿度有利于颗粒物积聚;第2次污染天气形成和维持主要是因西路冷空气南下、上游重污染地区颗粒物随冷空气向江苏省输送.持续降水和持续2.0 m/s以上偏东风对大气中颗粒物有较明显的清除作用.淮北西部垂直、水平扩散条件差、降水清除时间短,导致该地区在全省污染等级最严重、持续时间最长.西路冷空气影响期间,各站颗粒物质量浓度转为快速上升,东部地区在偏西风持续49~58 h后空气质量改善为良,中西部地区无法得到有效改善;东路冷空气影响7~22 h后,中西部地区空气质量转为良,高压底部持续偏东风使全省颗粒物得到彻底清除,连续污染天气结束.研究显示,西路弱冷空气的输送会加剧江苏省的污染程度,持续较长时间的东路冷空气则可以改善江苏省的空气质量.      

Scavenging of Cd through Fe/Mn oxides within natural surface coatings

The dynamics of Cd scavenging from solutions by Fe/Mn oxides in natural surface coatings （NSCs） was investigated under laboratory conditions. Selective extraction methods were employed to estimate the contributions of Fe/Mn oxides, where hydroxylamine hydrochloride （0.01 mol/L NH2OH-HCl ＋ 0.01 mol/L HNO3）, sodium dithionite （0.4 mol/L Na2S2O4） and nitric acid （10% HNO3） were used as extraction reagents. The Cd scavenging was accomplished with developing periods of the NSCs （totally 21 data sets）. The resulting process dynamics fitted well to the Elovich equation, demonstrating that the amount of Cd scavenged was proportional to the increments of Fe/Mn oxides that were accumulated in the NSCs. The amount of Cd bound to Fe oxides （MCdFe） and Mn oxides （MCdMn） could be quantified by solving two equations based on the properties of two extraction reagents. The amount of Cd scavenged by Fe/Mn oxides could also be estimated using MCdFe and MCdMn divided by the total amounts of Fe and Mn oxides in the NSCs, respectively. The results indicated that the Cd scavenging by Fe/Mn oxides was dominated by Fe oxides, with less roles attributed to Mn oxides. The estimated levels of Cd scavenging through Fe and Mn oxides agreed well with those predicted through additive-adsorption and linear-regression models.     

污灌对作物生长及其活性氧清除系统的影响

以绿豆和萝卜为对象，研究了污水灌溉对作物生长与活性氧清除系统的影响．结果表明，与非污灌组相比．污灌作物生长受阻．叶片色素含量降低，叶组织膜结构损伤，电导率增大；SOD，POD．CAT活性表现不同程度降低；而MDA含量显著上升、研究发现，不同作物对污水胁迫的反应并不一致，叶片色素含量对污水胁迫的反应尤为明显。     

硒对除草剂胁迫下水稻幼苗活性氧清除系统响应的作用

研究了在除草剂苯噻草胺毒害下硒对水稻幼苗体内活性氧清除系统的影响.结果表明,硒缓解了苯噻草胺对水稻幼苗的毒害,表现为株高、根长变化,植株体内叶绿素、蛋白质、谷胱甘肽GSH含量的提高和抗氧化酶活性的增加,·O₂、H₂O₂等活性氧和膜脂过氧化产物MDA含量降低,自氧化速率减慢.经2个样本个体差均值的配对t检验,验证Se处理对水稻具有显著效应.     

Real-time wet scavenging of major chemical constituents of aerosols and role of rain intensity in Indian region

Real-time simultaneous studies on chemical characteristics of rainwater and PM₁₀ aerosols were carried out to understand the scavenging of major chemical components in Indian region. The concentrations of Ca²⁺, NH₄⁺, SO₄²⁻ and NO₃⁻ were observed to be lower in the aerosol samples collected during rain as compared to before and after rain events. The most significant reduction was noticed for Ca²⁺ (74%) during rain which showed highest scavenging ratio (SR) and indicated that below-cloud scavenging is an effective removal process for Ca²⁺ in Indian region. Among non-sea salt components, Ca²⁺ had highest SR at Hyderabad indicating typical characteristics of crustal influence as abundance of calcium carbonate in soil dust has been reported in India. However, the levels of these major chemical components gradually got build-up in due course of time. After rain events, the levels of SO₄²⁻ aerosols were noticed to be substantially higher (more than double) within 24 h. In general, scavenging ratios for all components (except Ca²⁺, NH₄⁺ and K⁺) were higher over BOB as compared to Hyderabad. The maximum fall in aerosol levels (BR minus AR) was observed during continuous and low intensity rain events that did not allow building up of aerosol concentrations.     

Distribution of total mercury and methylmercury in lake sediments in Arctic Ny-Ålesund

The toxicities and bioavailabilities of total mercury (THg) and methylmercury (MeHg) in aquatic systems have made them the subjects of recent research. In this study, we collected a lake sediment core from Ny-Ålesund in Svalbard and analyzed the distributions of THg and MeHg in the sediments. The increased trend of THg was caused by anthropogenic contamination since the 14th century through long-range transportation, especially after the industrial era. However, the peak values of Hg in surface sediment samples could be explained by the increased algal scavenging process in recent decades. All the biogeochemical proxies (e.g., pigments and diatom biomass) revealed recent sharp increases in aquatic primary production due to the current climate warming. Rock-Eval analyses indicated that algal-derived organic matter took up a large portion, and quantitative calculation showed that 89.6-95.8% of the Hg in post-1950 could be explained by scavenging. The distribution of MeHg has a close relationship with total Hg and organic matter. The oxidation-reduction condition is one of the possible factors affecting the methylation rates in H2 lake sediments. Higher algal productivity and organic matter actually led to the increased trend of methylation in the uppermost sediment. This study supports some new key hypotheses on climate-driven factors affecting Hg and MeHg cycling in High Arctic lake sediments.