Effects of carbon dioxide and nitrogen fertilization on phenolic content in Poa annua L

Different but partially overlapping hypotheses have been developed to predict the allocation of phenolics in elevated atmospheric CO(2). The carbon-nutrient balance hypothesis predicts increased allocation to phenolics due to reduced relative availability of nitrogen. The growth-differentiation balance hypothesis states that allocation will depend on source and sink strength, while the protein competition model predicts that allocation will remain unchanged. We grew Poa annua at two CO(2) concentrations in soils of three different nutrient levels. Although plant-tissue nitrogen levels were reduced in high CO(2) and photosynthetic rate increased, phenolic concentration and biomass allocation remained unchanged. We discuss these data in the context of the three models' predictions of phenolic allocation in conditions of elevated CO(2).     

Production of artemisinin by hairy rot cultures of Artemisia annua L in bioreactor

Hairy root cultures of Artemisia annua L were cultivated in four different culture systems: a flask, a bubble column, a modified bubble column and a modified inner-loop airlift bioreactor. The artemisinin contents of hairy root cultures in the bubble column and the modified inner-loop airlift bioreactor were higher than that in the modified bubble column. The growth rate and hairy root distribution in the modified inner-loop airlift bioreactor were better than those in other bioreactors, and dry weight and artemisinin production reached to 26.8 g/L and 536 mg/L after 20 days.     

Comparison between a moving bed membrane bioreactor and a conventional membrane bioreactor on organic carbon and nitrogen removal

A membrane bioreactor filled with carriers instead of activated sludge named a moving bed membrane bioreactor (MBMBR) was investigated for simultaneously removing organic carbon and nitrogen in wastewater. Its performance was compared with a conventional membrane bioreactor (CMBR) at various influent COD/TN ratios of 8.9–22.1. The operational parameters were optimized to increase the treatment efficiency. COD removal efficiency averaged at 95.6% and 96.2%, respectively, for MBMBR and CMBR during the 4 months experimental period. The MBMBR system demonstrated good performance on nitrogen removal at different COD/TN ratios. When COD/TN was 8.9 and the total nitrogen (TN) load was 7.58 mg/l h, the TN and ammonium nitrogen removal efficiencies of the MBMBR were maintained over 70.0% and 80.0%, respectively, and the removed total nitrogen (TN) load reached to 5.31 mg/l h. Multifunctional microbial reactions in the carrier, such as simultaneous nitrification and denitrification (SND), play important roles in nitrogen removal. In comparison, the CMBR did not perform so well. Its TN removal was not stable, and the removed total nitrogen (TN) load was only 1.02 mg/l h at COD/TN ratio 8.9. The specific oxygen utilization rate (SOUR) showed that the biofilm has a better microbial activity than an activated sludge. Nevertheless, the membrane fouling behavior was more severe in the MBMBR than in the CMBR due to a thick and dense cake layer formed on the membrane surface, which was speculated to be caused by the filamentous bacteria in the MBMBR.     

Cultivation of bacteria producing polyamino acids with liquid manure as carbon and nitrogen source

Poly(gamma-D-glutamic acid) (PGA)-producing strains of Bacillus species were investigated to determine their ability to contribute to reducing the amount of ammonium nitrogen in liquid manures and their ability to convert some of the ammonium into this polyamino acid as a transient depot for nitrogen. Organisms that do these things should help solve the serious environmental problems which are caused by the use of large amounts of liquid manure resulting from intensified agriculture; these problems are mainly due to the high content of ammonium nitrogen. Bacillus licheniformis ATCC 9945 and Bacillus subtilis were able to grow in liquid manure and to produce PGA in the presence of sodium gluconate. On artificial liquid manure these two strains were able to produce 0.85 and 0.79 g of PGA per liter, respectively. Under conditions that are found in intensified farming situations the ammonia content was reduced within 48 h from 1.3 to 0.75 g/liter. One mutant of B. subtilis 1551 impaired in the catabolism of PGA was obtained after nitrosoguanidine mutagenesis. This mutant produced PGA at a final concentration of 4.8 g/liter, whereas the wild type produced only 3.7 g/liter.     

TLC-densitometric analysis of artemisinin for the rapid screening of high-producing plantlets of Artemisia annua L

A simple TLC-densitometric technique has been developed for the rapid and accurate analysis of artemisinin in a large number of Artemisia annua plantlets cultured in vitro. This new analytical method is based on the structural conversion of artemisinin on a silica gel layer by ammonia vapour to form 10-azadesoxyartemisinin, a chromophore-containing compound (lambdamax 320 nm) that can be detected by UV-based TLC densitometry. The TLC system was evaluated quantitatively in terms of product stability, precision, accuracy and calibration. Good linearity was obtained in the range of 0.01-0.12 microg artemisinin. The technique appeared to be accurate and sensitive as compared with the complicated pre-column reaction-HPLC technique. Among 90 samples of A. annua plantlets, the artemisinin content in the leaves appeared to be highly variable, ranging from 0.02 to 0.67% w/w dry weight. These results demonstrate that densitometric TLC can be a cheap and simple technique for the accurate screening of high-artemisinin-producing plants.     

Enhanced production of artemisinin by Artemisia annua L hairy root cultures in a modified inner-loop airlift bioreactor

Hairy root cultures of Artemisia annua L were cultured in a modified inner-loop airlift bioreactor for achieving maximum artemisinin production. The effects of initial pH, air flow rate, cycle of light irradiation and temperature on growth and artmisinin production in Artemisia annua L hairy root cultures were investigated. Under the optimum conditions, the maximum production of artemisinin reached to 577.5?mg/l after 20 days.     

From cells to embryos to rooted plantlets in a mist bioreactor

A mist bioreactor using a disposable bag as culture chamber was used to propagate carrot embryogenic cells into rooted plantlets. The best operating configuration was akin to a vertical hanging garden using 50–90 μm nylon mesh for explant attachment. Cells spray inoculated into the reactor were 51.2 % viable. Misting cycle and aeration conditions were studied and showed that under the same hourly volumetric nutrient feed and 0 VVM, embryo development in the reactor was best using a 0.3 min on/2.7 min off misting cycle, yielding about 23 % post heart stage embryos. Compared to 0 VVM, 3 % CO₂ enrichment improved embryo development in reactor culture. Spray inoculated cells also attached to several vertically hung poly-l-lysine coated strips and then developed in situ into embryos. Cell attachment was significantly improved when they were suspended in salt-free sucrose solution during spray inoculation. Almost 90 % of the originally attached cells remained on the nylon mesh 24 h later after spraying with B5 medium in the mist reactor. Strip grown embryos had the same post heart stage ratio but shorter overall length compared to those developed on a horizontal platform. Young plantlets developed uniformly up and down the hanging strips and did not detach after 3 weeks of culture suggesting this technology may prove useful for improving micropropagation.     

Effect of carbon source on compost nitrogen and carbon losses

The effect of C source on N losses by volatilization during composting was measured using four bulking agents, each at three humidity levels and composted in duplicate under passive and active aeration. The bulking agents were pine shavings alone and corrected with soybean, chopped grass hay alone and corrected with urea, long (unchopped) wheat straw and chopped oat straw. The readily available C of each bulking agent was determined by analyzing for BOD5. In 105 l laboratory vessels, the bulking agents were mixed with liquid swine manure and tap water for a C/N of 20 and three humidity levels of 60%, 65% and 70%. While being aerated actively or passively, the mixtures were composted for 21 days. Their initial and final C and N contents were measured to conduct a mass balance analysis and calculate C and N losses. C and N losses were compared to bulking agent BOD5. N losses were compared to C losses. The humidity level and aeration regime had no effect on C and N losses but the N losses were correlated to C losses and only the C losses could be correlated to the BOD5 of the bulking agent. Thus, the N losses are related not only to the availability of C but also to the extent of composting. A relationship established between N and C losses indicated that 85% of the initial total N of the compost was available for microbial degradation and that 70% of the available C was lost as CO2 during the immobilization process.     

Effect of nitrogen source on pullulan production by Aureobasidium pullulans grown in a batch bioreactor

Pullulan production by Aureobasidium pullulans ATCC 201253 using selected nitrogen sources was studied in a medium using corn syrup as a carbon source. Independent of the corn syrup concentration present, the use of corn steep liquor or hydrolysed soy protein as a nitrogen source instead of ammonium sulphate did not elevate polysaccharide production by ATCC 201253 cells grown in an aerated, batch bioreactor containing 4 litres of medium. Pullulan production on corn steep liquor or hydrolysed soy protein as a nitrogen source became more comparable as the concentration of corn syrup was increased. Cell weights after 7 days of growth on any of the nitrogen sources were similar. The viscosity of the polysaccharide on day 7 was highest for cells grown on ammonium sulphate and 12.5% corn syrup. The pullulan content of the polysaccharide elaborated by ammonium sulphate-grown cells on day 7 decreased as the corn syrup level rose in the medium while the pullulan content of polysaccharide produced by cells grown on corn steep liquor or soytone generally increased.     

Poa annua L. in Antarctic: searching for the source of introduction

The level of polymorphism, genetic variability and relatedness of a population of Poa annua L. from South Shetlands Islands was studied and compared with results obtained for populations from two potential sources of introduction (Argentina—Ushuaia and Poland—Dziekanów Leśny) using the amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) approach. Five primer pairs used for AFLP profiling amplified 226 scoreable DNA fragments that were used for Clustral and Factorial analyses. The level of molecular variability among all individuals from all the analysed populations reaches 30%. Clustral and Factorial analyses show that all populations formed clear-cut uniform groups according to their locations. However, population from King George Island show high variability. High genetic diversity may be related with escalated human activity at the area of Arctowski Station, favouring introductions of P. annua from many different sources and by many different vectors.     

3,4-dichloroaniline--a nitrogen and carbon source for a mixed culture of microorganisms

A mixed microbial culture assimilating 4-chloroaniline and 3,4-dichloroaniline as sole sources of carbon and nitrogen was isolated from soil treated with propanide for a long period of time. The process is accompanied with a 100% liberation of chloride ions. Aniline cannot serve as a growth substrate for the mixed culture. The authors have studied whether the mixed culture utilizing chloroanilines can decompose these compounds in model experiments with natural waters and soil suspensions. The culture actively decomposes 3,4-dichloroaniline (20 mg/litre) in natural water samples into which it has been added at a concentration of 10(3)--10(4) cells/ml. The decomposition is accelerated in experiments with suspensions of meadow-chernozem soils when cells of the mixed culture are added to the suspensions. The rate of 3,4-dichloroaniline degradation in a grey forest soil suspension remains nearly unchanged when the mixed culture is added to it. Degradation of the chloroaniline is accompanied with equivalent liberation of chloride ions when the mixed culture is added to natural water samples.     

Denitrification performance and microbial diversity in a packed-bed bioreactor using PCL as carbon source and biofilm carrier

Polycaprolactone (PCL) was used as both carbon source and biofilm support for denitrifying bacteria in a packed-bed bioreactor. The denitrification performance and microbial diversity were investigated. The microbial community of biofilm developed on the surface of PCL in the reactor was analyzed by pyrosequencing method. The experimental results showed the average nitrate removal efficiency reached 93 % at stable operation. ESEM observation and FTIR analysis were conducted to characterize the PCL structure before and after microbial utilization. For the microbial community, Betaproteobacteria predominated, and most of the PCL-degrading denitrifying bacteria assigned to the family of Comamonadacea. Denitrifying bacteria accounted for more than 20 % in the total population, indicating that PCL is a good carrier and carbon source for biological denitrification.     

Cultivation of a filamentous mould in an airlift bioreactor

Cephalosporin C biosynthesis was investigated in a pilot-plant external-loop airlift bioreactor for evaluating the capacity of this bioreactor to surpass the problems which arise from the morphology of the mould and the rheology of the broth. Some of the results were compared with those obtained in a stirred tank bioreactor. The dilution and the use of static mixers was necessary to overcome the effects of the high viscosities. The oxygen transfer rate represented 84% of that in the stirred bioreactor, but the efficiency of the power utilization was higher. The specific productivity of Cephalosporin C is comparable to that obtained in the stirred tank bioreactor, but the average specific power consumption was found to be 2/3 of that in the stirred vessel.     

Regeneration of plantlets in Sapindus trifoiatus L

Continuous production of healthy plantlets of Sapindus trifoliatus L. was achieved via somatic embryos from long term cultures of an embryogenic mass (EM). A highly embryogenic culture of S. trifoliatus L. was obtained by recurrent embryogenesis from somatic embryos cultured on Murashige and Skoog's (MS) medium supplemented with kinetin (2.3 microM) and benzyladenine (8.8 microM). The cultures could be maintained without reduction of embryogenic competence for more than 20 months by subculture at 4 week intervals. About 90% mature somatic embryos on transfer to basal MS medium, germinated to plantlets, of which more than 70% survived when transferred to a sand and soil mixture in green house.     

Simultaneous nitrogen and carbon removal in a single chamber microbial fuel cell with a rotating biocathode

In this study, a single chamber microbial fuel cell (MFC) with a rotating biocathode is developed to simultaneously remove chemical oxygen demand (COD) and nitrogen accompanying current production. Under continuous regime with a feeding COD/N ratio of 5:1, removal efficiencies of total organic carbon (TOC) and total nitrogen (TN) were 85.7 ± 7.4% and 91.5 ± 7.2%, respectively, and a maximum power output of 585 mW m^?3 was yielded. In the batch tests, TN removal efficiencies for closed/open circuit were 82.1 ± 0.5% and 59.4 ± 3.3%, respectively. Cyclic voltammetry measurements demonstrated that the biocathode could efficiently catalyze nitrate reduction reaction. Autotrophic denitrification facilitated nitrogen removal using the electrode as electron donor. 16S rRNA-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) was employed for community fingerprinting. At the biocathode the bacteria involved in nitrogen cycle predominated, of which the denitrifying bacteria were closely similar to Acidovorax sp. and/or Delftia sp. They were affiliated with the family Comamondaceae. The combination of rotating biological contactors with MFCs derives a promising opportunity for wastewater treatment with a low cost and high quality effluent.     

长期施肥对红壤微生物生物量碳氮和微生物碳源利用的影响

采集湖南省祁阳县红壤长期定位施肥19年的土壤样品,分析长期不同施肥红壤的微生物生物量碳、氮和微生物碳源利用率,以揭示长期施肥对红壤微生物学性状的影响.结果表明：施肥19年后,有机肥单施或与化肥配合施用均显著提高土壤微生物生物量碳、氮和微生物碳源利用率.单施有机肥的土壤微生物生物量碳、氮含量分别为231和81 mg·kg^-1,化肥有机肥配施分别为148和73 mg·kg^-1,均显著高于化肥配施秸秆、不施肥和单施化肥;施用有机肥和化肥配施秸秆的土壤微生物生物量氮占全氮的比例平均为6.0%,显著高于单施化肥和不施肥.Biolog-ECO分析中,平均吸光值(AWCD)的大小为：化肥有机肥配施、单施有机肥>对照>单施化肥、化肥配施秸秆.单施有机肥或与化肥有机肥配施增加了红壤微生物对碳水化合物、羧酸、氨基酸、聚合物、酚类和胺类的碳源利用率;化肥配施有机肥的红壤微生物对聚合物类碳源利用率最高,化肥配施秸秆的红壤微生物对碳水化合物类碳源的利用率最高.表明施用有机肥能显著提高红壤的微生物生物量碳、氮和微生物碳源利用率,提高红壤肥力,保持作物高产.     

Isolation and characterization of a bacterium which utilizes polyester polyurethane as a sole carbon and nitrogen source

Abstract Various soil samples were screened for the presence of microorganisms which have the ability to degrade polyurethane compounds. Two strains with good polyurethane degrading activity were isolated. The more active strain was tentatively identified as Comamonas acidovorans . This strain could utilize polyester-type polyurethanes but not the polyether-type polyurethanes as sole carbon and nitrogen sources. Adipic acid and diethylene glycol were probably the main degradation products when polyurethane was supplied as a sole carbon and nitrogen source. When ammonium nitrate was used as nitrogen source, only diethylene glycol was detected after growth on polyurethane.