Mechanism of the desmutagenic effect of humic acid

The mechanism of an apparent desmutagenic effect of humic acid was investigated. Firstly, components of humic acid (resorcinol, vanillin, vanillic acid, ferulic acid, protochatechuic acid and benzoic acid) were tested and were not found to show a desmutagenic effect. By contrast, lignin did show a desmutagenic effect. The desmutagenic effect of humic acid was decreased by ozone treatment, and the degree of decrease corresponded with a decrease in KMnO4 consumption. Benzo[a]pyrene and humic acid were incubated at 37 degrees C for 1 h and extracted by ethyl acetate and the extract was investigated by gas chromatography (GC). The peak of the decomposition product did not appear, but the amount of benzo[a]pyrene was decreased. This suggests that the desmutagenic effect of humic acid was caused by adsorption of benzo[a]pyrene by humic acid rather than by decomposition of benzo[a]pyrene. Humic acid had the largest adsorption activity at its critical micelle concentration (CMC), while adsorbed benzo[a]pyrene could be released by ultrasonication. Fulvic acid and water-soluble humic substance showed a slight inhibitory effect on the mutagenicity of benzo[a]pyrene.     

腐植酸类物质的施用对盐碱地的改良效果

采用田间小区试验方法,以生化腐植酸(OHA)、氨化腐植酸(AHA)和微生物活化腐植酸(MHA)为试验材料,探讨了3种腐植酸类物质对盐碱地的改良效果.结果表明: 与对照单施化肥相比,在盐碱地上增施不同的腐植酸类物质,当季对土壤pH的影响不明显.但3种腐植酸类物质均表现出了一定的降低土壤电导率(EC)、水溶性Na⁺和K⁺含量以及钠吸附比(SAR)的效果,影响深度均达0~40 cm土层.降低土壤EC的效果以OHA最优,但降低土壤水溶性Na⁺和K⁺含量以及SAR的效果3种材料间差异不大.此外,腐植酸类物质在降低土壤NO₃^--N含量,增加土壤NH₄⁺-N、可溶性有机氮(SON)和可溶性全氮(TSN)含量方面也有积极作用,且AHA和MHA作用效果优于OHA.添加3种腐植酸类物质均可提高土壤速效磷含量,其中以MHA效果最佳.增施腐植酸类物质可显著提高玉米灌浆期功能叶的SPAD值和玉米产量,但3种供试腐植酸类物质间差异不显著.腐植酸类物质对氮、磷肥表观利用率的影响表现为AHA>MHA>OHA,而OHA处理的氮、磷肥农学效率最高,AHA处理的氮、磷肥偏生产力最高.     

Desmutagenic effect of alpha-dicarbonyl and alpha-hydroxycarbonyl compounds against mutagenic heterocyclic amines

The desmutagenic effects of alpha-hydroxycarbonyl compounds, such as glyceraldehyde, glycolaldehyde, dihydroxyacetone, furfural, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, maltol, acetol and acetoin and alpha-dicarbonyl compounds, such as diacetyl, glyoxal, methyl glyoxal and 2,3-pentanedione were investigated against the mutagenic heterocyclic amines, such as Trp-P-1, Trp-P-2, Glu-P-1, Glu-P-2 and IQ. Most of the carbonyl compounds suppressed the mutagenicity of heterocyclic amines for S. typhimurium TA98, alpha-dicarbonyl compounds showing a higher desmutagenic effect than alpha-hydroxycarbonyl compounds. Among the alpha-hydroxycarbonyl compounds, glyceraldehyde, glycolaldehyde and dihydroxyacetone showed more effective desmutagenicity, and diacetyl among the alpha-dicarbonyl compounds had the highest desmutagenic effect. These carbonyl compounds alone also showed mutagenicity to S. typhimurium TA100 without S9 mix. The reaction of carbonyl compounds with mutagenic heterocyclic amines also eliminated the mutagenicity of the former for S. typhimurium TA100.     

The effect of humic acid on transamination in winter wheat plants

A very low, for the most part unmeasurable glutamic-aspartio transminase activity and a very high glutamic-alanine transaminase activity was found in the overground parts and roots of young wheat plants. The roots had a higher glutamic-alanine transaminase activity than the overground parts in the first and second leaf stage. Plants cultivated in Knop’s nutrient solution (variant with humate and without) showed a higher glutamic-alanine transaminase activity than poorly growing plants, cultivated in distilled water (with humate and without). In plants cultivated in nutrient solutions, transaminase activity increased with the age of the wheat plants. As in the previous experiments, the effect of humate was only significant, in the roots of plants cultivated in distilled water with humate, where transamination activity was greater than in the control without humate. The roots of this variant with a stimulatory growth effect showed a large accumulation of free sugars in the previous experiments. The connection between these effects of humate on the roots of young winter wheat plants is discussed.     

Transformation of rock phosphate during composting and the effect of humic acid

Summary Phosphorus from Mussoorie rock phosphate (MRP) was solubilized and transformed into available forms when MRP was incorporated during composting of organic wastes. Clusterbean and redgram utilized phosphorus efficiently from the phosphorus enriched compost containing 3.1% P when added in the soil of pH 7.6 to 7.8. The solubilization of phosphorus during composting has been attributed to the formation of humic substances.     

Desmutagenic and bio-antimutagenic activity of docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid in cultured Chinese hamster V79 cells

The antimutagenic activities of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) were examined by studying their effects on induction of 6-thioguanine (6TG)-resistant mutations by ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) in cultured Chinese hamster V79 cells. DRA had a remarkable inhibitory effect against the cytotoxicity of EMS, when cells were simultaneously-treated with EMS, showing a blocking or scavenging activity of DHA in reduction of surviving fraction of cells. DHA had not so significant effect, when cells were treated before and after treatment with EMS. On the other hand, EPA had marked inhibiting effects against cytotoxicity of EMS, when cells were treated with EPA, before, simultaneous and after treatment with EMS. Against the induction of mutations by EMS, an antimutagenic activity of DHA was found when cells were pre-treated, simultaneously-treated or post-treated with DHA. EPA was also effective in reducing EMS-induced 6TG-resistant mutations when the cells were treated using the three different treatment procedures described above. The results suggest that in cultured Chinese hamster V79 cells, DHA and EPA may have both desmutagenic activity, which inactivates EMS chemically and/or enzymatically and bio-antimutagenic activity which suppresses mutation fixation after DNA is damaged by EMS.     

Polyamines in humic acid and their effect on radical growth of lettuce seedlings

Linum usitatissimum, Sorghum bicolor and Triticum aestivum plants were further colonised by the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus, Glomus mosseae, during a four week period of hydroponic culture after a pre-culture period of three weeks with the fungus in perlite substrate. The viability of mycorrhizal colonisation of T. aestivum was indicated by an initial experiment where G. mosseae from mycorrhizal plants colonised non-mycorrhizal plants when the plants were grown together in the same hydroponic container using modified Long Ashton nutrient solution. Intermittant aeration of the plant roots (2 h periods, four times per day) provided a compromise between adequate aeration and minimal disturbance of the fungus. In a second experiment, two nutrient media, modified Long Ashton and modified Knop plus Hoagland medium were compared for culturing G. mosseae on T. aestivum. A significantly higher root dry weight was found for the mycorrhizal versus the non-mycorrhizal wheat plants in modified Long Ashton nutrient medium, which contained 10 µM P and an organic buffer. Modified Knop plus Hoagland nutrient medium contained a high P concentration (0.9 mM) and did not produce viable cultures of mycorrhizal colonisation. In a third experiment, modified Long Ashton medium was used for hydroponic culture of mycorrhizal L. usitatissimum, S. bicolor and T. aestivum. The root colonisation percentages for T. aestivum (73%), S. bicolor (36%) and L. usitatissimum (65%) were within the range of colonisation rates obtained with solid substrate culture in perlite. Viability of the mycorrhizal structures in hydroponic culture was assessed by monitoring activity of fungal succinate dehydrogenase and found to be similar to cultures in perlite. No difference in the P concentration of mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal plants was observed, possibly owing to the lack of diffusion limits for P in hydroponic solution. This report describes a system for the viable culture of G. mosseae with different plant species where a high mycorrhizal colonisation rate was produced under conditions of a short culture period using intermittent aeration, a low concentration of P supply and an organic buffer.     

Desmutagenic Activity of Peroxidase on Autoxidized Linolenic Acid

L-Arginine analog-resistant mutants were derived from Bacillus subtilis, Serratia marcescens, Microbacterium ammoniaphilum, Micrococcus sodonensis, Nocardia corynebacteroides, N. rubra, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida tropicalis.The mutants of all species tested produced an appreciable amount of L-arginine. The arginine productivity of SAH4-7, an L-arginine hydroxamate-resistant L-arginine-producer of B. subtilis,increased stepwisely by successively introducing such characters as pyrimidine analog-, histidine analog-, and tryptophan analog-resistance and then increased resistance to arginine analog. The mutant strain finally selected was KY7690 and it produced ca. 17mg per ml of L-arginine.     

The effect of pH on the lability of lead and cadmium sorbed on humic acid particles

Abstract

Sorption of lead(II) or cadmium(II) ions on humic acid particles (at pH 3.5) yields surface complexes which are sparingly soluble in the pH 3.55 region. Interaction of these species with acetic acid or dilute nitric acid released ASV labile metal species (mainly hydrated metal ion). When the pH was adjusted between 4 and 7, increasing amounts of the metal humate species (and humic acid substrate) dissolved and low levels of ASV labile species were detected. Overnight interaction with an excess of acetate ions (0.01 M) led to higher lability values (attributed to acetate/humate ligand exchange). The percentage of labile metal ion detected in acetate solutions varied with the amount of metal ion initially sorbed (range 100 to 500 mmol g^?1). With the lower loadings, the ASV labile levels peaked in the pH 6–7 region (at around 12% of total sorbed cadmium, and 4% of total lead). In alkaline solutions, the percentage of labile Cd fell to about half of the peak value, but with Pb, lability values increased at pH > 8, due possibly to the formation of hydroxy complex species. The ASV lability of the Cd and Pb humates, and their 24 hour lability values (determined using a transfer to cation exchanger technique) has been compared with the behaviour of Cu and Zn humates (using similar conditions).     

Nature and properties of humic acid prepared from different sources and its effect on nutrient availability

Summary Effect of sources, moisture levels and extractants on extraction, analytical properties, IR-spectra, macromolecular characteristics, interaction with cations and physiological properties of the extracted material (humic acid) were studied. Among the three variables, extractant influenced the degree of humification, IR-spectra, nature and properties of humic acids to a greater extent though the other two had significant contribution. Sodium pyrophosphate found to be an ideal extractant for humic acid. Reduced viscosity of humic acids increased with dilution particularly below 0.1 g/dl and decreased with increasing H⁺ concentration between pH 6.5 and 8.5 irrespective of source, moisture level and extractant. The amount of proton released and drop in initial pH of humic acids on addition of different metal ions indicated formation of mono-, di-hydroxy metal-HA complexes which broke down at pH 8.0 and above. HA-Fe²⁺ and HA-Cu²⁺ complexes were found to be most stable. Humic acids from different sources varied significantly in their effect on available nutrient status of soils though, the latter is main determining factor particularly for calcium and magnesium.     

The effect of different substrates and humic acid on power generation in microbial fuel cell operation

Electricity production from acetate, glucose and xylose with humic acid as mediator was investigated in two chambers microbial fuel cells (MFCs). Acetate produced the highest voltage (570 mV with 1000 Omega) and maximum power density (P(maxd)=123 mW/m(2)) due to a simpler metabolism than with glucose and xylose. Glucose and xylose resulted in P(maxd) of 28 mW/m(2) and 32 mW/m(2) at lower voltage of 380 mV and 414 mV, respectively. P(maxd) increased by 84% and 30%, for glucose and xylose respectively, when humic acid (2g/l) was present in the medium. No significant effect was found with acetate since the internal resistance possessed a limiting effect. The increase of P(maxd) due to humic acid presence was attributed to its ability to act as mediator. Even though pH decreased to 5 with glucose and xylose, due to production of acetate and propionate, the voltage remained on the same level of 250-350 mV.     

Effects of gel processing on the properties of humic acid isolated from the alga Pilayella littoralis: A humic acid aerogel

Humic acid in the live alga Pilayellalittoralis was isolated as an aqueous gel by a standard sequential extraction method augmented with removal of alginic acid. Portions of the aqueous gel were (1) vacuum oven dried at 40 °C, (2) freeze freeze dried after cooling in liquid N₂, and (3) dried with supercritical fluid CO₂ after substitution of water in the gel with acetone. This paper compares the analytical and spectral properties of the products with compost derived HA and reports significant differences in their surface areas, packing densities, water retention, solute sorption and metal binding properties. The results are discussed in terms of different product morphologies determined by scanning electron microscopy. The aerogel obtained by supercritical fluid CO2 drying of an HA gel from Pilayella has the highest surface area (188 m² g^-1) reported for a humic acid. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

添加生化抑制剂和腐植酸的稳定性增效尿素在黄土中的施用效果

采用田间盆栽试验,研究生化抑制剂与生物刺激素腐植酸结合制成的高效稳定性增效尿素肥料在黄土中的氮素转化特征、增产效果和氮素肥料表观利用率,以探明其施用效果,为开发适宜黄土施用的新型增效尿素肥料提供理论依据。本研究以不施氮肥(CK)和施尿素氮肥(N)为对照,在尿素中分别添加腐植酸(F)、N-丁基硫代磷酰三胺(NBPT)、3,4-二甲基吡唑磷酸盐(DMPP)和2-氯-6-三甲基吡啶(CP),以及腐植酸与3种生化抑制剂分别组合(NBPT+F、DMPP+F、CP+F)。结果表明: 与N处理相比,F、NBPT+F、DMPP+F和CP+F处理均能显著提高玉米的产量、叶片叶绿素含量、叶面积指数和植株吸氮量,对土壤铵态氮和硝态氮含量也有显著影响。与单独施用生化抑制剂相比,添加腐植酸可提高玉米叶片叶绿素含量。与CP相比,CP+F玉米的植株吸氮量、叶绿素含量、氮肥吸收利用率均显著提高;与NBPT相比,NBPT+F硝化抑制率提高10.7%,但玉米产量、叶面积指数、植株吸氮量和氮肥利用率等均有所降低;与DMPP相比,DMPP+F显著降低了玉米产量、叶面积指数、植株吸氮量、氮肥利用率和硝化抑制率等。综合玉米产量、植株吸氮量、氮肥吸收利用率以及土壤铵态氮、硝态氮含量等指标,在黄土地区施用尿素肥料时,建议添加腐植酸和CP以提升尿素性能,从而提高产量和肥料利用率。     

The effect of fire on soil humic substances

Summary High temperature effects on soil humic substances were investigated both in natural and laboratory conditions. Differential Thermal Analysis and pyrolysis show that only temperatures above 250°C produce changes in the humic acid fraction. The mean change is a loss of weight due to decarboxylation. Isotachophoretic studies also show that temperatures higher than 250°C produce alteration in the separation pattern of the different subfractions due to changes in the ‘core’ or/and in the amount of carboxyl and hydroxyl groups. Isotachophoregrams done on soil samples extracted from an area before and after fire show no differences. This result is taken as an indication that there was no direct effect of the temperature on the soil humic substances.     

Desmutagenic actions of ascorbic acid and cysteine on a new pyrole mutagen formed by the reaction between food additives; Sorbic acid and sodium nitrite

Mutagenicity of 1,4-dinitro-2-methyl pyrrole, a new mutagen isolated from the reaction mixture of sorbic acid and sodium nitrite, was found to be destroyed by treatment with ascorbic acid or cysteine. Chemical studies revealed that the loss of mutagenicity was due to reduction from the C-nitro to C-amino group.     

Isolation of humic acid from the brown algaPilayella littoralis

A standard humic acid extraction procedure has been used to isolate dark brown organic residues from samples of the macroscopic marine brown algaPilayella littoralis. The residues are insoluble in water, but soluble at high pH, and are similar in elemental composition, ash content, UV-visible, IR, PMR and X-Ray fluorescence spectra, X-Ray diffractograms and scanning electron micrographs to residues of a humic acid isolated from municipal compost. These results indicate thatPilayella produces humic acids.Author for correspondence