Relationship Between Biogenic Amines and Free Amino Acid Contents of Wines and Musts from Alentejo (Portugal)

The concentration of biogenic amines and free amino acids was studied in 102 Portuguese wines and 18 musts from Alentejo demarcated (D.O.C.) regions. Most wines were commercial, except for 38 monovarietals obtained by micro vinification. Musts from the varieties used to produce the latter wines were also studied. Both biogenic amines and free amino acids were analyzed by HPLC using fluorescence detection for their o-phthalaldehyde/fluorenylmethyl chloroformate (OPA/FMOC) derivatives. The most significant amines (average 10.8 mg/L for histamine+tyramine in red, and 7.4 mg/L for white wines) were found to be present at low levels and, although no important relationship between each individual biogenic amine could be obtained, the total amine content depends significantly on the assimilable amino acid content in wine.     

Marine and farmed fish on the Polish market: comparison of the nutritive value and human exposure to PCDD/Fs and other contaminants

Chemical analyses were performed in nine fish species that are popular on the Polish market. These included Baltic fish (cod, herring, salmon), fish farmed in Poland (carp, trout), marine fish imported from China (Alaska pollock, sole), and farmed fish imported from Vietnam and China (sutchi catfish, tilapia). The nutritional composition (amino acid, micro- and macronutrients, fat-soluble vitamins - A₁, D₃, E) and certain contaminants (organochlorine pesticides, OCPs; indicator polychlorinated biphenyl, PCB₆; polychlorinated dibenzo-paradioxins and polychlorinated dibenzofurans, PCDD/Fs; dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls, dl-PCBs; organotin compounds, OCTs; dyes, malachite green and crystal violet; veterinary drug residues, nitrofurans and chloramphenicol; toxic metals, Cd, Pb, Hg) in the muscle tissues of fish were determined. It was confirmed that the fish species analyzed were excellent sources of amino acids, and were rich in phosphorous and selenium. Baltic Sea fish (salmon, herring), fish farmed in Poland (carp and trout), and tilapia were also rich in vitamin D₃.Traces of OCP, PCB₆, OCT, dyes, veterinary drug residues, and heavy metals were detected in concentrations which do not pose a threat to consumers at the current rate of fish consumption in Poland. However, the problem might arise from the content of PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs in fatty Baltic fish. The fish species analyzed, differed in their nutritional values and degrees of contamination. We suggest that for optimum health and safety, it is advisable that consumers include a variety of different fish species in their diets.     

Biodegradation of Polycaprolactone Powders Proposed as Reference Test Materials for International Standard of Biodegradation Evaluation Method

Polycaprolactone (PCL) powders were prepared from PCL pellets using a rotation mechanical mixer. PCL powders were separated by sieves with 60 and 120 meshes into four classes; 0–125 μm, 125–250 μm, 0–250 μm and 250–500 μm. Biodegradation tests of PCL powders and cellulose powders in an aqueous solution at 25°C were performed using the coulometer according to ISO 14851. Biodegradation tests of PCL powders and cellulose powders in controlled compost at 58°C were performed by the Mitsui Chemical Analysis and Consulting Service, Inc. according to ISO 14855-1 and by using the Microbial Oxidative Degradation Analyzer (MODA) instrument according to ISO/DIS 14855-2. PCL powders were faster biodegraded than cellulose powders. The reproducibility of biodegradation of PCL powders is excellent. Differences in the biodegradation of PCL powders with different class were not observed by the ISO 14851 and ISO/DIS 14855-2. An enzymatic degradation test of PCL powders with different class was studied using an enzyme of Amano Lipase PS. PCL with smaller particle size was faster degraded by the enzyme. PCL powders with regulated sizes from 125 μm to 250 μm are proposed as a reference material for the biodegradation test.     

土地集约利用程度对华北潮土农田土壤微生物群落丰度和死生物物质积累的影响

土壤微生物决定着土壤生态系统的养分周转状况,其死生物物质在土壤有机碳(SOC)积累中发挥关键作用.然而,目前缺乏对土壤微生物群落丰度及其死生物物质如何响应农业土地集约利用程度调整的了解.为弥补这一知识缺口,基于土地集约化利用程度,设置小麦-玉米周年轮作(CC)、临时草地与小麦种植交替(TG)和多年生草地(PG)这3个处理开展长期定位试验,采用基于数字PCR和微生物标志物氨基糖的检测技术,以探究农业土地集约利用程度调整对土壤细菌和真菌数量,以及细菌、真菌和总微生物死生物物质C积累及其对土壤SOC封存贡献的影响,进一步明确驱动细菌、真菌和总微生物死生物物质C积累的关键因子.结果表明,与土壤细菌群落丰度相比,真菌群落丰度受到农业土地集约利用程度调整的强烈影响,随土地集约利用程度的降低而增加.在3种土地集约利用程度处理下,土壤总微生物死生物物质C均主导SOC积累,对SOC的贡献率分别达到52.78%、 58.36%和68.87%,呈现随土地集约利用程度降低而升高的趋势;真菌死生物物质C占总微生物死生物物质C的比例均大于80%,说明其对总微生物死生物物质C的绝对主导地位,且受土地集约利用程度降低...     

Antioxidants in Hot Pepper: Variation Among Accessions

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) pepper (Capsicum spp.) germplasm collection contains several thousand members or accessions. Many of these species and cultivars have not been analyzed for their concentrations of ascorbic acid, capsaicin, and total phenolic compounds, which are important antioxidants having a number of benefits for human health. The objective of this investigation was to select candidate accessions of hot pepper having high concentrations of ascorbic acid, capsaicin, free sugars, and total phenols for use as parents in breeding for these compounds. Seventeen accessions of pepper from the core Capsicum germplasm collection (four accessions of Capsicum chinense; five accessions of C. baccatum; six accessions of C. annuum; and two of C. frutescens) were field grown and their mature fruits were analyzed for their antioxidant composition. Concentrations of these compounds tended to be higher in C. chinense and C. baccatum, than in C. annuum and C. frutescens. Across all accessions the concentration of total phenols was correlated with ascorbic acid (r = 0.97) and free sugars (r = 0.80). Concentrations of total phenols (1.4, 1.3, and 1.3 mg g^?1 fruit) and ascorbic acid (1.6, 1.2, and 1.3 mg g^?1 fruit) were significantly greater in PI-633757, PI-387833, and PI-633754, respectively, compared to other accessions analyzed. Total capsaicinoids concentrations were greatest (1.3 mg g^?1 fruit) in PI-438622 and lowest (0.002 mg g^?1 fruit) in Grif-9320. The great variability within and among Capsicum species for these phytochemicals suggests that these selected accessions may be useful as parents in hybridization programs to produce fruits with value-added traits.     

藻类水华对太湖梅梁湾不同粒径有机组分结构的影响

运用过滤和切向流超滤系统,分离得到2009年8月至2010年8月每月的太湖梅梁湾不同粒径水体有机物,测定了水体中颗粒态有机碳,高分子量和低分子量可溶解性有机碳的含量,并同步分析了叶绿素浓度,水体中各种有机物的碳氮比值和中性单糖含量.对不同形态有机碳浓度的比较发现颗粒态有机碳是太湖碳存在的主要形式.统计分析结果表明叶绿素浓度与颗粒态有机碳之间具有显著的相关性,说明浮游植物是颗粒态有机物的主要来源.此外高分子量可溶性有机物的碳氮比值和中性单糖含量均相对较高,这表明该有机碳的生物可利用性比其它形态的水体有机碳高.     

Microbial bioavailability of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) in the sediments of Lake Shankou, Northeastern China

Dissolved organic nitrogen(DON)extracted from Lake Shankou sediments using KCl was isolated into hydrophobic and hydrophilic fractions.The bioavailabilities of the hydrophobic and hydrophilic fractions to three types of bacterial communities collected from sediments,activated sludge and compost products were examined.The DON recoveries obtained by DAX-8 and cation exchange resins treatment were 96.17% ± 1.58% and 98.14% ±0% for the samples obtained from N4 and N14 stations,respectively.After 25 days of incubation at 25°C,most DON(59% to 96%)was degraded.Hydrophilic DON exhibited a higher reduction rate than hydrophobic DON during the growth phase.Untreated wastewater from Changshuihe town was the main degradable DON source to station N4,and 93% of hydrophilic DON and 80% of hydrophobic DON were degraded.Station N14 received a large amount of refractory DON from forest soils and exhibited DON degradation rates of 82% and 71% for the hydrophilic and hydrophobic fractions,respectively.Amino acid contents and fluorescence intensities were also analyzed.Approximately 27% to 74% of amino acids were taken up by day 5,and their concentration gradually increased in the following days due to the decomposition of dissolved proteins.Parallel factor analysis resulted in identification of tryptophan-like proteins,tyrosine-like proteins and FA-like substances.During the growth phase,40%–51% of the tryptophan-like proteins were taken up by bacteria,and the accumulation of tyrosine-like proteins was attributed to the release of biotic substances.The concentration of the FA-like substances decreased due to microbial decomposition.     

亚热带水库沉积物钻孔中有机质的历史记录及其环境意义

氢指数(HI)是重要的有机质评价参数,能够反映沉积有机质中脂肪大分子物质的相对含量,并用于反演水生生态系统的历史初级生产力,有助于研究藻类生产力对污染物的富集作用。为了探讨氢指数的环境指示作用,选择了亚热带的3座水库作为研究对象,采用Rock-Eval热解与生物标志物-中性糖方法相结合的研究技术,研究了沉积钻孔有机质的来源与特征;并结合210Pb和137Cs定年技术,综合运用氢指数和总糖含量对水库的初级生产力进行了重建。结果表明:中富营养的增塘和联安水库沉积有机质主要来源于浮游藻类,且受降解的程度较小,而贫营养的新丰江水库钻孔下层有机质主要是受降解作用或陆源高等植物等的影响。近年来,3个水库的HI值都有显著性的增加,且与其对应的总糖含量以及近50年来的滑动平均温度都高度的相关,说明这些水库都经历了气候变暖所引起的初级生产力增长。同时,升高的水库生产力扩大了沉积物剖面中重金属和多环芳烃的累积。     

Photosynthetic sulfur bacteria from Zimapan Reservoir (Mexico): Seasonal variations and toxic effects of zinc in a microcosm system

Photosynthetic sulfur bacteria oxidize the sulfide produced by dissimilatory sulfate-reducing bacteria, thus preventing the occurrence of pollution by these compounds in the oxygenic zone of aquatic systems. Zinc is one of the most abundant heavy metals. Its toxic effects have been documented in various organisms that can photosynthesize, but a lack of information prevails in this respect, about photosynthetic sulfur bacteria. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the toxic effects of zinc on green sulfur bacteria (Chlorobiaceae) and purple sulfur bacteria (Chromatiaceae) in a microcosm as well to explore the possible relationships between the bacterial population growths with the physicochemical properties of the metalimnion of Zimapan Reservoir (Mexico) during a 1-year period. Hydrosoluble organic carbon (HOC) and light availability in the metalimnion were the limiting factors for growth in these bacteria. Higher HOC levels occurred in Spring, at the end of the wet season and in Winter. Current zinc levels in the reservoir seem to elicit toxic effects. At lethal zinc concentrations, the best concentration-response relationship was shown. The biomarker for purple sulfur bacteria was the bacteriochlorophyll content, while total reducing sugar was the best biomarker for green sulfur bacteria. At sublethal concentrations, zinc alters adenosine triphosphate levels, total reducing sugar, total protein content, and bacteriochlorophyll content. The observed responses indicate that green sulfur bacteria are more sensitive than purple sulfur bacteria and are suitable target organisms for use in establishing the accepted threshold concentration of zinc (NOEC 0.056–0.097 mg L^?1 of Zn) in anoxic deep water.     

Recovery of biomass wastes by hydrolysis in sub-critical water

The recovery of waste substances is important not only for the prevention of environmental issues, but also for the rational utilization of natural resources. Hydrolysis reaction in sub-critical water is a promising method for the treatment of organic wastes and has been attracting worldwide attention. In this paper, sub-critical water hydrolysis was employed as a method for producing amino acids, reducing sugars, bio-oil and gas fuels from biomass wastes. The current statuses of these useful chemicals production from biomass wastes by hydrolysis in sub-critical water were reviewed. The review indicates that sub-critical water hydrolysis can be an efficient process for recovering useful chemicals from biomass wastes. This method is renewable, sustainable, efficient, and safe for the environment.