Enantioselective kinetics of α-hexachlorocyclohexane in earthworm (Eisenia fedtia) and forest soil

The enantioselective bioaccumulation and elimination behaviors of α-hexachlorocyclohexane (α-HCH) enantiomers in earthworm and soil were investigated by chiral gas chromatography. Enantiomer fraction values were calculated as indicators of the enantioselectivity. The mature earthworms were exposed to 0.10 μg g(-1)(wwt) (0.14 μg g(-1)(dwt)) spiked soil continuously for the bioaccumulation, and the elimination was conducted after an enrichment period in the soil. The results showed that both the bioaccumulation and elimination processes followed monophasic kinetics, body residues of α-HCH in earthworm increased to high level at the fifth day, and enantioselectivity was found in the bioaccumulation process with the rate constant (k) of 0.80 d(-1) for (+)-α-HCH and 0.74 d(-1) for (-)-α-HCH. The half life (t(1/2)) of the enantiomers obtained in the elimination process was within one day. The bioaccumulation factors of steady state of α-HCH enantiomers were 2.82 for (+)-α-HCH and 2.75 for (-)-α-HCH. The enantiomer fractions of earthworm and soil obviously below 0.5 during uptake and elimination processes indicate significant enantioselectivity and preferential depuration of (+)-α-HCH in earthworm. However, earthworms do not have a great capacity for getting rid of α-HCH in polluted soil shown by a contradistinctive experiment.     

Cry1Ab蛋白在拟环纹豹蛛体内的富集及对其体内酶活性的影响

用Cry1Ab蛋白处理的果蝇喂养拟环纹豹蛛Pardosa pseudoannulata,在第1d、3d、5d、7d、9d、11d用酶联免疫（ELISA）检测技术测定实验组和对照组拟环纹豹蛛体内Cry1Ab蛋白含量,运用紫外分光光度法检测拟环纹豹蛛体内超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（GSH—Px）、乙酰胆碱酯酶（AChE）的活性,探讨拟环纹豹蛛体内Cw1Ab蛋白的富集作用与其体内3种酶活性的关系。结果表明,从第ld至第7dC~IAb蛋F1在拟环纹豹蛛体内均具富集作用（P〈0．05）,到第7d的时候达到最高值,达极显著差异（p〈0．01）,然后逐渐降低,但仍显著高于对照（p〈0．05）。SOD酶活性总体趋势是降低的,在第7d达到最低;用Cry1Ab蛋白处理拟环纹豹蛛后其体内的AChE和GSH—Px酶活性随饲养时间的延长而增加,并均高于对照组（p〈0．05）。该研究征明Cry1Ab蛋白在拟环纹豹蛛体内具有富集效应,并且其体内Cry1Ab蛋白对其体内GSH—Px、AChE具铂一定诱导作用,对SOD酶具有一定程度的抑制作用。     

Lead,cadmium and nickel removal efficiency of white-rot fungus Phlebia brevispora

Widespread of heavy metals contamination has led to several environmental problems. Some biological methods to remove heavy metals from contaminated wastewater are being widely explored. In the present study, the efficiency of a white-rot fungus, Phlebia brevispora to remove different metals (Pb, Cd and Ni) has been evaluated. Atomic absorption spectroscopy of treated and untreated metal containing water revealed that all the metals were efficiently removed by the fungus. Among all the used metals, cadmium was the most toxic metal for fungal growth. Phlebia brevispora removed maximum Pb (97·5%) from 100 mmol l⁻¹ Pb solution, which was closely followed by Cd (91·6%) and Ni (72·7%). Scanning electron microscopic images revealed that the presence of metal altered the morphology and fine texture of fungal hyphae. However, the attachment of metal on mycelia surface was not observed during energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, which points towards the intracellular compartmentation of metals in vacuoles. Thus, the study demonstrated an application of P. brevispora for efficient removal of Pb, Cd and Ni from the metal contaminated water, which can further be applied for bioremediation of heavy metals present in the industrial effluent.     

Evidence for the transfer of a soil‐borne contaminant from plants to ants via an aphid mediator

1. Uptake of environmental contaminants by lower trophic groups can have negative effects on higher trophic groups. This study tested the ability of selenium, an environmental contaminant found in high concentrations throughout the tissues of certain accumulating plants, to be transferred to ants via aphid tissue and honeydew. 2. Plants of the selenium accumulator, Raphanus sativus (wild radish), were watered with three different selenium treatments (0, 0.25 or 0.5 µg Se ml^?1). Aphids, Myzus persicae, and Argentine ant colonies, Linepithema humile, were added to each caged plant and allowed to interact freely. Ant colonies were supplemented with one of three different food options to encourage the consumption of aphids, aphid honeydew, or aphids and honeydew. 3. The accumulation of selenium by each trophic group and a trophic transfer factor (TTF) was calculated. The TTF for plants to aphids was > 1, indicating biomagnification, whereas the TTF for aphids to worker ants was < 1, indicating only biotransfer. Accumulated levels by worker ants did not statistically differ as a result of diet. 4. The amounts of selenium acquired by ants as a factor of diet and caste were compared. Plants, aphids and worker ants accumulated selenium in a dose‐dependent manner. Ant queens did not contain detectable amounts of selenium. Honeydew contained comparable amounts of selenium to plant selenium levels. 5. Access to toxic compounds via honeydew and insect protein may have negative effects on the range expansion of invasive species, such as the Argentine ant.     

Toxicokinetics and Biotransformation of As(III) and As(V) in Eisenia fetida

Earthworms, Eisenia fetida, were exposed to soils spiked with As(III) and As(V), to understand the response of earthworms to As in terms of both toxicity and accumulation using toxicokinetics, and to explain As metabolism and bioavailability. As(III) showed higher toxicity than As(V), in all toxicity endpoints of burrowing time, survival, growth, and cocoon production. Bioconcentration occurred at both As(III) and As(V) treatments during 28-d exposure. Worms did not show the elimination of As for consecutive 28 d of exposure to clean soils. Biotransformation of As was characterized using HPLC-ICP-MS and XANES, showing the reduction of As in worms regardless of the As species to which worms were exposed. Metabolism of As in worms that formed As-thiol complex is thought to limit the excretion of As, and thus induce bioconcentration in worms. Uptake rates by one-compartment model indicated that pore water was the bioaccessible pool of As, and directly controlled the uptake of As by worms. The study suggests that higher uptake rate and bioaccumulation of As(III) than of As(V) are among the factors that make As(III) more toxic than As(V).     

三种植物对土壤磷吸收和富集能力的比较

筛选磷富集植物是磷矿废弃地土壤与植被修复的关键。该文以向日葵(Helianthus annuus)、苏丹草(Sorghum sudanense)、南瓜(Cucurbita moschata)为研究对象, 采用盆栽试验, 设置5个磷浓度(0、100、300、500和700 mg·kg^-1), 分别在3个不同生长时段(4周、7周、10周)内采样, 对这3种植物的磷吸收和富集能力进行了比较。结果表明: (1)在相同生长时间内, 向日葵、苏丹草、南瓜的地上部磷含量均随磷处理浓度的升高而增大, 最大值分别为9.67 g·kg^-1、4.86 g·kg^-1、6.32 g·kg^-1; 相同浓度下, 向日葵地上部磷含量随着生长时间的延长呈上升趋势, 苏丹草则呈下降趋势, 南瓜无显著变化; (2) 3种植物的地上部磷累积量均在磷处理浓度为700 mg·kg^-1时, 生长10周后达到最大值, 分别为217.83 mg·plant^-1、93.92 mg·plant^-1、135.82 mg·plant^-1; (3)各浓度处理下, 向日葵、苏丹草的地上部磷富集系数和转移系数均大于1.00, 南瓜的地上部磷富集系数和转移系数波动较大; 向日葵的富集系数和转移系数最大值分别达11.39和4.09。综合比较可知, 3种植物磷吸收和富集能力的大小顺序为: 向日葵>南瓜>苏丹草。向日葵各项富磷特征基本符合磷富集植物的筛选标准, 可作为磷矿废弃地土壤与植被修复的备选物种。     

Tolerance and hyperaccumulation of a mixture of heavy metals (Cu,Pb, Hg,and Zn) by four aquatic macrophytes

In the present investigation, four macrophytes, namely Typha latifolia (L.), Lemna minor (L.), Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms-Laubach, and Myriophyllum aquaticum (Vell.) Verdc, were evaluated for their heavy metal (Cu, Pb, Hg, and Zn) hyperaccumulation potential under laboratory conditions. Tolerance analyses were performed for 7 days of exposure at five different treatments of the metals mixture (Cu⁺², Hg⁺², Pb⁺², and Zn⁺²). The production of chlorophyll and carotenoids was determined at the end of each treatment. L. minor revealed to be sensitive, because it did not survive in all the tested concentrations after 72 hours of exposure. E. crassipes and M. aquaticum displayed the highest tolerance to the metals mixture. For the most tolerant species of aquatic macrophytes, The removal kinetics of E. crassipes and M. aquaticum was carried out, using the following mixture of metals: Cu (0.5 mg/L) and Hg, Pb, and Zn 0.25 mg/L. The obtained results revealed that E. crassipes can remove 99.80% of Cu, 97.88% of Pb, 99.53% of Hg, and 94.37% of Zn. M. aquaticum withdraws 95.2% of Cu, 94.28% of Pb, 99.19% of Hg, and 91.91% of Zn. The obtained results suggest that these two species of macrophytes could be used for the phytoremediation of this mixture of heavy metals from the polluted water bodies.     

Alleviation of heavy metals toxicity by the application of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria and effects on wheat grown in saline sodic field

The aim of the study was to determine tolerance of plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) in different concentrations of Cu, Cr, Co, Cd, Ni, Mn, and Pb and to evaluate the PGPR-modulated bioavailability of different heavy metals in the rhizosphere soil and wheat tissues, grown in saline sodic soil. Bacillus cereus and Pseudomonas moraviensis were isolated from Cenchrus ciliaris L. growing in the Khewra salt range. Seven-day-old cultures of PGPR were applied on wheat as single inoculum, co-inoculation and carrier-based biofertilizer (using maize straw and sugarcane husk as carrier). At 100 ppm of Cr and Cu, the survival rates of rhizobacteria were decreased by 40%. Single inoculation of PGPR decreased 50% of Co, Ni, Cr and Mn concentrations in the rhizosphere soil. Co-inoculation of PGPR and biofertilizer treatment further augmented the decreases by 15% in Co, Ni, Cr and Mn over single inoculation except Pb and Co where decreases were 40% and 77%, respectively. The maximum decrease in biological concentration factor (BCF) was observed for Cd, Co, Cr, and Mn. P. moraviensis inoculation decreases the biological accumulation coefficient (BAC) as well as translocation factor (TF) for Cd, Cr, Cu Mn, and Ni. The PGPR inoculation minimized the deleterious effects of heavy metals, and the addition of carriers further assisted the PGPR.     

应用碳氮同位素技术研究重金属在大亚湾食物网中的累积

大亚湾是受人类活动影响严重的典型亚热带半封闭海湾,长期受到重金属污染的压力,但是重金属在大亚湾生态系统中的累积情况尚不清楚.于2015年夏、冬两季(6月和12月)分别采集海水、沉积物和生物样品(包括浮游生物、游泳生物、底栖生物),在通过稳定同位素(δ¹³C和δ¹⁵N)构建大亚湾食物网结构的基础上,分析重金属(Cr、Co、Ni、Cu、Zn、Ag、Cd和Pb)在大亚湾食物网中的累积和传递特征.结果表明:大亚湾生物体的主要物质来源于海洋,但也受到淡水输入的影响;大亚湾生态系统的食物链长度较短,最高营养级为3.48;高级捕食者鱼类在夏季摄食广泛,而冬季偏向于底栖食性.大亚湾环境和生物体内重金属浓度整体符合国家标准,仅发现个别站位海水中Zn和Pb超出第一类海水水质标准,口虾蛄和断脊口虾蛄体内Cd超过农产品安全标准.Cr、Co、Ni、Zn、Cd、Pb在夏、冬两季沿着食物链的传递其生物累积水平显著降低;Cu在夏季沿着食物链的传递其生物累积水平显著降低,冬季有降低趋势但不显著;Ag与营养级之间并没有显著相关性,但在甲壳动物中有生物放大的潜能.研究表明大亚湾生态系统中重金属基本处于正常状态,而Zn、Ag、Cd、Pb等重金属需要进一步关注.     

Modelling Bioaccumulation and Toxicity of Metal Mixtures

Bioaccumulation of metals in mixtures may demonstrate competitive, anticompetitive, or non-competitive inhibition, as well as various combinations of these and/or enhancement of metal uptake. These can be distinguished by plotting (metal in water)/(metal in tissue) against metal in water and comparison to equivalent plots for single-metal exposure. For the special case of pure competitive inhibition where only one site of uptake is involved, inhibition of metal accumulation in any metal mixture can be predicted from bioaccumulation of the metals when present singly. This is consistent with the commonly used Biotic Ligand Model (BLM) but does not explain bioaccumulation of metals in Hyalella azteca. Options for modelling toxicity of metal mixtures include concentration or response addition based on metal concentrations in either water or tissues. If the site of toxic action is on the surface of the organism, if this is the same as the site of metal interaction for bioaccumulation, if there is only one such type of site, and if metal bioaccumulation interactions are purely competitive (as in the BLM), then metal toxicity should be concentration additive and predictable from metal concentrations in either water or tissues. This is the simplest toxicity interaction to model but represents only one of many possibilities. The BLM should, therefore, be used with caution when attempting to model metal interactions, and other possibilities must also be considered.