Promotive effect of pyridine on indole degradation by activated sludge under anoxic conditions

Batch experiments were carried out to investigate the promotive effect of pyridine on indole degradation under denitrifying conditions. The seed sludge was obtained from a local coal-coking wastewater treatment facility and was acclimated in the laboratory. Indole and pyridine were supplemented to the synthetic wastewater at different ratios. The optimum ratio of chemical oxygen demand (COD) to nitrate (C/N) was 8.4–8.9 for both denitrification and indole and pyridine degradation. At a temperature of 28°C and pH of 7.0–7.5, the nitrate reductase activity (NRA) was in the best state. The addition of pyridine could promote NRA and the degradation of indole. When the initial concentration of indole was 150 mg/L, the concentration ratio of indole to pyridine was in the range of 1–10. Under optimum C/N conditions, the degradation of indole could be described with pseudo-zero-order kinetics. There was no accumulation of nitrite during the reaction. When the concentration ratio of pyridine to indole was less than 0.25 with an increase in the pyridine proportion, there were more significant augment rates for NRA and the degradation of indole than the situation when the concentration ratio was more than 0.25. __________ Translated from Environmental Science, 2006, 27(2): 300–304 [译自: 环境科学]     

Plant steroid hormones produced under Ni stress are involved in the regulation of metal uptake and oxidative stress in Brassica juncea L

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are involved in the amelioration of various biotic and abiotic stresses. With an aim to explore the role of BRs under heavy metal stress, plants of Brassica juncea L. were grown in pots. The plants were subjected to various concentrations of Nickel metal (0.0, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6 mM) and harvested on 60th day in order to observe the expression of these hormones. The isolated BRs from the leaves of Brassica plants characterized by GC-MS include 24-Epibrassinolide (24-EBL), Castasterone, Dolicholide and Typhasterole. The effect of isolated 24-EBL was studied on Ni metal uptake and antioxidative defense system in 60 d old plants of Brassica. It was observed that 24-EBL significantly increased the activities of stress ameliorating enzymes and lowered the metal uptake in plants. This is the first report in B. juncea L. plants showing the expression of BRs under metal treatments and effect of the isolated 24-EBL on metal uptake and in oxidative stress management.     

链霉菌FX645对偶氮染料红AR30的降解机制研究

从印染厂污泥中筛选到1株对偶氮染料红30(AR30)具有较强脱色降解作用的菌株Streptomyces sp.FX645.通过降解产物的紫外-可见吸收光谱、LC-MS分析及各降解产物在发酵体系中浓度随时间变化的规律,探讨了菌株FX645对AR30的可能降解途径,首先在偶氮还原酶的作用下AR30发生偶氮键的裂解,生成4-硝基-2,6-二氯苯胺与2-[(4-胺苯基)-(2-氰乙基)-氨基]乙酸乙酯,然后分别发生硝基还原、氨基酰化、氰基水解作用,生成一系列的苯胺类化合物.     

镉胁迫对虾夷扇贝抗氧化防御系统的影响

实验研究了虾夷扇贝在96 h的急性毒性效应,以及不同浓度Cd2+(0,0.005,0.025,0.050,0.150和0.300 mg/L)对虾夷扇贝内脏团超氧化物岐化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)和谷胱甘肽-过氧化物酶(GSH-PX)活力的影响,以探讨其用于污染暴露的生物标记的可行性。结果表明:虾夷扇贝96 h的LC50为1.73 mg/L;其95%的置信区间是1.58～1.90 mg/L;安全浓度为0.0173 mg/L。酶活力:0.025 mg/L及以上的各实验组SOD活力先上升后下降,在第3 d时达到峰值,与对照组呈显著差异(P<0.05);处理第6 d,各浓度组SOD活力有所下降,到第9 d时受到抑制;CAT活力在处理0.5 d时,0.025mg/L0、.150 mg/L和0.300 mg/L三个浓度组均受到显著诱导(P<0.05),处理第6 d时,各实验组酶活力开始受到抑制。两种酶对实验设计的Cd2+浓度反应敏感,呈现出"诱导-抑制"规律,对海洋Cd2+早期污染具有指示作用。GSH-PX对Cd2+污染没有SOD和CAT那样敏感,GSH-PX的各个实验组与对照组相比差异均不显著,因而它作为对海洋Cd2+早期污染指示物的意义不大。     

三丁基锡(TBT)对罗非鱼两组织SOD和GSH的影响

以雄性奥利亚罗非鱼(Oreochromis aureus)为试验材料,研究腹腔注射染毒三丁基锡(TBT)后鱼类肝脏和精巢超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)和谷胱甘肽(GSH)的变化(剂量分别为0、1 μg/kg、3 μg/kg、5 μg/kg、10 μg/kg).结果表明,雄性奥利亚罗非鱼肝脏和精巢中的SOD正常值分别为(42.04±2.55) U/mg prot和(27.70±2.34) U/mg prot,GSH的正常值分别为(243.87±5.63) mg/g prot和(154.84±4.66) mg/g prot,精巢组织低于肝脏组织;染毒后各处理组肝脏与精巢均高于对照组且差异极显著;随着注射剂量的增高,不同处理时间内两组织SOD活性和GSH的含量均先升高后降低,在3 μg/kg体重时都达到最高值,表明TBT对肝脏和精巢中SOD活性和GSH含量均具有一定的诱导激活作用.研究表明,TBT可以通过影响精巢中抗氧化防御系统对雄性生殖细胞造成伤害,并因此增加了破坏鱼类资源的风险.     

2,2',4,4'-四溴联苯醚对赤子爱胜蚓的抗氧化酶、代谢酶及其基因表达的影响

多溴联苯醚(PBDEs)是广泛存在于环境中的一种新型持久性有机污染物.四溴联苯醚同分异构体中的BDE-47是多溴联苯醚中最重要的单体之一.试验采用人工土壤培养法,通过亚急性试验,研究了在不同暴露时间阶段下,不同BDE-47剂量对赤子爱胜蚓(Eisenia fetida)抗氧化酶(过氧化氢酶CAT)、代谢酶(谷胱甘肽转移酶GST)以及二者基因表达的影响.结果表明,在暴露14 d和28 d时,CAT活性被诱导上升并且差异显著;GST活性变化差异不显著;CAT基因表达水平在第14 d时呈现抑制效应,在后续的第28 d和第42 d基因表达水平上调;GST基因表达水平整体呈现诱导效应,并且差异显著,随着暴露时间的增加,低毒处理组(10、50 mg·kg-1)的基因表达水平逐渐下调至低于对照组的水平,高毒处理组(100、200 mg·kg-1)的基因表达量仍高于对照组水平;在BDE-47的暴露试验中,CAT与GST活性及其基因表达水平两项指标对低毒处理组较高毒处理组更为敏感.     

Accumulation of mercury and its effect on antioxidant enzymes in brain,liver, and kidneys of mice

Abstract

The effect of mercuric chloride (HgCl₂) on the activities of catalase, Superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR) and its effect on glutathione (GSH) content were evaluated in different organs (liver, kidneys, and brain) of mice after administration at 0, 0.25, 0.5 and 1.0 mg/kg/day for 14 days. The uptake of mercury shows that the kidneys accumulated the highest levels of mercury compare to brain and liver. The enzyme levels varied in mercury treated organs compare to control. A dose dependent increase of antioxidant enzymes occurred in the liver and kidneys. The increase in enzyme activities correlated with highest mercury accumulation in the kidneys and liver. Mercury is known to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) in vivo and in vitro, therefore, it is likely that enzyme activities increased to scavenge ROS levels produced as a result of mercury accumulation. Glutathione content increased in liver and kidneys of mercury treated mice compare to control. The results showed that the highest oral dose of mercury significantly increased antioxidant enzymes in kidneys and liver. The increased antioxidant enzymes enhance the antioxidant potential of the organs to reduce oxidative stress.     

Impact of nano-CuO stress on rice (Oryza sativa L.) seedlings

Indiscriminate release of metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) into the environment due to anthropogenic activities has become a serious threat to the ecological system including plants. The present study assesses the toxicity of nano-CuO on rice (Oryza sativa cv. Swarna) seedlings. Three different levels of stress (0.5 mM, 1.0 mM and 1.5 mM suspensions of copper II oxide, <50 nm particle size) were imposed and seedling growth performance was studied along control at 7 and 14 d of experiment. Modulation of ascorbate–glutathione cycle, membrane damage, in vivo ROS detection, foliar H₂O₂ and proline accumulation under nano-CuO stress were investigated in detail to get an overview of nano-stress response of rice. Seed germination percentage was significantly reduced under stress. Higher uptake of Evans blue by nano-CuO stressed roots over control indicates loss of root cells viability. Presence of dark blue and deep brown spots on leaves evident after histochemical staining with NBT and DAB respectively indicate severe oxidative burst under nano-copper stress. APX activity was found to be significantly increased in 1.0 and 1.5 mM CuO treatments. Nevertheless, elevated APX activity might be insufficient to scavenge all H₂O₂ produced in excess under nano-CuO stress. That may be the reason why stressed leaves accumulated significantly higher H₂O₂ instead of having enhanced APX activity. In addition, increased GR activity coupled with isolated increase in GSH/GSSG ratio does not seem to prevent cells from oxidative damages, as evident from higher MDA level in leaves of nano-CuO stressed seedlings over control. Enhanced proline accumulation also does not give much protection against nano-CuO stress. Decline in carotenoids level might be another determining factor of meager performance of rice seedlings in combating nano-CuO stress induced oxidative damages.     

Tree Leaf Biomarkers for Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition

The aim of this paper was to investigate the effects of nitrogen (N) deposition on tree N cycling and identify potential biomarkers forNdeposition. Between April and October 2002 extensive fieldwork was undertaken at Mardley Heath in Hertfordshire. This woodland, located adjacent to the A1(M) motorway, is exposed to high levels of atmospheric nitrogen oxides from the traffic. Measurements of ¹⁵N, in vivo nitrate reductase (NR) activity, tissue, xylem and surface nitrate concentrations as well as N concentration and growth were made along a 700-m transect at 90° to the motorway. The ¹⁵N data show that oxidised N from the road traffic is taken up by nearby trees and is incorporated into plant tissues. Our measurements of NR activities suggest elevated rates close to the motorway. However, xylem sap, leaf tissue and leaf surface nitrate concentrations showed no differences between the roadside location and the most distant sampling point from the motorway. Taken together the ¹⁵N and nitrate reductase data suggest uptake and assimilation of N through the foliage.We conclude that for this lowland deciduouswoodland, tissue, xylem and surface measurements of nitrate are unreliable biomarkers for N deposition whereas ¹⁵N, growth measurements and integrated seasonal NR might be useful. The results also point to the benefit of roadside tree planting to screen pollution from motor vehicles.     

Liver glutathione content and glutathione‐dependent enzymes of two species of freshwater fish as bioindicators of chemical pollution

Abstract

Glutathione content and glutahione‐dependent enzymes were measured in the liver of two fish species, gudgeon (Gobio gobio) and roach (Rutilus arcasii), from the river Bernesga (Spain) caught downstream and upstream of the waste site of several chemical industries. Animals from contaminated sites display a reduced glutathione concentration and a tendency to the decrease of glutathione S‐transferase activity. Glutathione peroxidase activity was significantly elevated only in the liver of Gobio gobio and glutathione reductase activity in that of Rutilus arcasii. Our data indicate that the glutathione system constitutes a sensitive biochemical indicator of chemical pollution. Relative changes of glutathione and glutathione‐dependent enzymes in both fish species suggest a different susceptibility to toxins.