Molecular diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in relation to soil chemical properties and heavy metal contamination

Abundance and diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) associated with dominant plant species were studied along a transect from highly lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) polluted to non-polluted soil at the Anguran open pit mine in Iran. Using an established primer set for AMF in the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA, nine different AMF sequence types were distinguished after phylogenetic analyses, showing remarkable differences in their distribution patterns along the transect. With decreasing Pb and Zn concentration, the number of AMF sequence types increased, however one sequence type was only found in the highly contaminated area. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed that further factors than HM soil concentration affect the AMF community at contaminated sites. Specifically, the soils’ calcium carbonate equivalent and available P proved to be of importance, which illustrates that field studies on AMF distribution should also consider important environmental factors and their possible interactions.     

Environmental and Biological Assessment of Exposure to Benzene in Petroleum Workers

Occupational exposure to benzene was measured in two gasoline marketing terminals and five major refineries in Singapore. A total of 280 workers were monitored over two years. This assessment was carried out with two primary objectives: (1) To find out the extent of occupational exposure to benzene in the petroleum industry in Singapore, (2) To identify suitable biomarkers for monitoring of low levels of benzene exposure. The exposure was measured in five different categories of petroleum and petrochemical workers, i.e., truck drivers, despatch assistant, process operators, oil movements operators and laboratory technicians. The results revealed wide variations in exposure, from 0.01 to 13.6 ppm for personal time weighted average (TWA) exposure over the whole workshift. The exposure of truck drivers appeared to be the highest, with geometric mean (GM) of 1.98 ppm (ranged from 0.25 to 13.6 ppm). The average benzene exposure for process operators was relative low with a GM of 0.04 ppm. Lowest benzene exposure was found in the laboratory technicians, with a GM of 0.02 ppm. As cigarette smoking is known to affect metabolism of benzene, data analyses on the relationships with environmental exposure were conducted only on the 190 nonsmokers. The results showed that urinary trans, trans-muconic acid (ttMA), unmetabolized benzene in urine (UBZ) and benzene in blood (BBZ) were better biomarkers for low level benzene exposure as compared to urinary phenolic metabolites in urine, such as hydroquinone, phenol and catechol.     

Community structure of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi associated to Veronica rechingeri at the Anguran zinc and lead mining region

Root colonization and diversity of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) were analyzed in Veronica rechingeri growing in heavy metal (HM) and non-polluted soils of the Anguran Zn and Pb mining region (Iran). Three species could be separated morphologically, while phylogenetic analyses after PCR amplification of the ITS region followed by RFLP and sequencing revealed seven different AMF sequence types all within the genus Glomus. Rarefaction analysis confirmed exhaustive molecular characterization of the AMF diversity present within root samples. Increasing heavy metal contamination between the sites studied was accompanied by a decrease in AMF spore numbers, mycorrhizal colonization parameters and the number of AMF sequence types colonizing the roots. Some AMF sequence types were only found at sites with the highest and lowest soil HM contents, respectively.     

Recovery of heavy metals from waste printed circuit boards: statistical optimization of leaching and residue characterization

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Despite attempts to enhance the recycling of waste printed circuit boards (WPCBs), the simultaneous recovery of major metals of WPCBs using an...