Retromobilization of heavy metal resistance genes in unpolluted and heavy metal polluted soil

Abstract: Retromobilization of the nonconjugative (Tra⁻Mob⁺) IncQ vector, pMOL155, and the non-mobilizable (Tra⁻Mob⁻) vector, pMOL149, by means of the IncP plasmids RP4 and pULB113 (RP4::Mu3A), was studied in plate matings and in soil microcosms, and compared with direct and triparental mobilization. Both vectors harbour the czc genes, originating from Alcaligenes eutrophus , which code for resistance to Co, Zn, and Cd. The donor of the czc genes was Escherichia coli which did not express these genes. The recipient, Alcaligenes eutrophus , expressed the czc genes very well. Retromobilization, direct and triparental mobilization of pMOL155 was observed in sterile soil. Both the addition of nutrients and heavy metals significantly enhanced the number of (retro)transconjugants. Retromobilization was also detected in nutrient amended nonsterile soil, but the presence of the autochthonous soil biota strongly reduced the number of retrotransconjugants and also prevented their increase upon application of heavy metals to the soil. Retromobilization of the czc genes, cloned in pMOL149, by using pULB113 was also observed, yet only in sterile, nutrient amended, heavy metal polluted soil.     

NMR studies on heavy metal immobilization in biosorbents and mineral matrices

Magnetic resonance imaging and otherNMR methods have a potential for thenon-destructive observation of environmentallyrelevant processes with both spatial andtemporal resolution. Among other applications,such methods can be used to study transport andimmobilization of paramagnetic heavy metal ionsin biosorbents and other matrices. Thisoverview covers various NMR approaches to studysuch processes and illustrates them withexamples of imaging on alginate-basedbiosorbents and on heavy-metal doped gypsumpastes. Experimental challenges in studies ofother matrices are shortly addressed as well.     

EDTA reduces heavy metal impacts on Tribulus terrestris photosynthesis and antioxidants

The effects of EDTA application to heavy metal-polluted soil on phytoextraction of heavy metals, leaf anatomy, gas exchange parameters, enzyme activities of C₄ carbon cycle, antioxidant defense, and active compounds of Tribulus terrestris L. were evaluated. The addition of EDTA to the soil polluted with Cd and Pb markedly increased dry weight and Pb, Zn, and Cd contents in shoots. Plants responded to the action of EDTA by an increased stomatal conductance, photosynthetic and transpiration rates, water use efficiency, chlorophyll and carotenoid contents. The activities of C₄ carbon cycle enzymes simultaneously increased, thus concentrating CO₂ for enhanced CO₂ assimilation and providing NADPH for the antioxidant system. Antioxidants, such as ascorbate, reduced glutathione, and flavonoids, increased more in the shoots of T. terrestris after the addition of EDTA. The activities of guaiacol peroxidase, catalase, and the enzymes of the ascorbate-glutathione cycle enhanced significantly in the presence of EDTA. Increased activities of antioxidant enzymes suggest that they have some additive functions in the mechanism of metal tolerance. EDTA application lowered the activity of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and the content of total phenols, MDA, hydrogen peroxide, dehydroascorbate, and lipid-soluble antioxidant capacity expressed as α-tocopherol. Increased levels of total radical-scavenging activity are in correspondence with the activity of water-soluble antioxidant compounds in T. terrestris tissues. The content of furostanol saponins protodioscin, prototribestin, and rutin increased as a result of EDTA addition. The results obtained allowed us to assume that applied EDTA reduced a negative heavy metal impact on puncture vine photosynthesis and antioxidant potential.     

Prediction of soil heavy metal distribution using Spatiotemporal Kriging with trend model

Soil heavy metal concentrations exhibit significant space-time trends due to their accumulation along the time axis and the varying distances from the pollution sources. Thus, concentration trends cannot be ignored when performing spatiotemporal soil heavy metal predictions in an area. In this work, datasets were used of soil cadmium (Cd) concentrations in the Qingshan district (Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China) sampled during the period 2010–2014. Spatiotemporal Kriging with four Trend models (STKT) and non-separable space-time correlation was implemented to assimilate multi-temporal data in the mapping of Cd distribution within the contaminated soil area. Soil Cd trends were represented by four different space-time polynomial functions, and a non-separable power function-exponential variogram model of Cd distribution was assumed. Plots of the predicted space-time Cd distributions revealed a marked tendency of the Cd concentrations over time to spread from the southwest part to the entire study area (higher soil Cd concentrations are found in the southwest part of the Qingshan area, whereas the temporal Cd trend is characterized by a constant increase from 2010 to 2014). Thus, the maps indicate that the entire study area is contaminated by Cd, a situation that seems to be stable over time. STKT can reduce prediction errors in practically and statistically significant ways. A numerical comparison of the STKT technique vs. the mainstream Spatiotemporal Ordinary Kriging (STOK) technique showed that STKT can perform better than STOK when the trend model's goodness of fit to the Cd data was satisfactory (producing minimal data fit error statistics), implying that adequate trend modeling is a key issue for space-time prediction accuracy purposes. In particular, quantitative results obtained at the Qingshan region showed that, by incorporating local Cd values and distance-based dependence structures the STKT techniques produced the best prediction error statistics, resulting in considerable prediction error reductions (the level of which depend on the trend model specification; e.g., in the case of STKT with trend model 3 the improvement comparing to STOK was almost 30%). Future studies of Cd contamination in the region (sampling design optimization) can benefit from the results of the geostatistical analysis of the present paper (variogram and trend modeling, etc.).     

重金属污染对红壤旱地小节肢类土壤动物群落结构的影响

土壤重金属污染对农田土壤节肢动物的影响是其环境风险评价和监测的重要方面。基于现有国家土壤环境质量二级标准(GB 15618—1995),设计2个浓度重金属Cd(0.3 mg/kg,0.6 mg/kg)、Pb(125 mg/kg,250 mg/kg)和As(30 mg/kg,60 mg/kg)污染的田间试验,分别研究Cd、Pb和As对红壤旱地小节肢类土壤动物群落组成和多样性的影响。结果表明,试验土壤小节肢类动物共11类群,其中符跳属、棘跳属、蜱螨目为本地区红壤旱地的主要类群,占全部捕获小节肢类土壤动物总数的78%。重金属Pb、As高浓度污染分别显著降低了土壤弹尾目的个体密度73.5%、55.2%,而Cd高浓度污染对其无显著影响,仅降低15.9%;As和Cd高浓度污染分别显著降低了土壤蜱螨目的个体密度74.3%、36.4%,而Pb高浓度污染对其无显著影响。Pb、As和Cd污染对小节肢类土壤动物群落多样性指数均无明显影响。因此,与丰度相比,多样性指数对重金属污染反应的灵敏度较差。主成分分析表明,前气门亚目、符跳属和棘跳属的得分值较高,为小节肢类土壤动物群落中的主导因子,可作为未来该地区重金属污染环境影响监测的重要指标生物和重金属污染阈值研究的重要生态受体。     

土壤重金属污染的植物修复

土壤重金属污染的危害范围广泛,使用传统的物理和化学修复方法成本高,对环境扰动大,而利用植物修复的效果较为明显,易于操作.本文论述了土壤重金属污染的单一植物、植物与微生物联合、植物与化学方法相结合.的修复方法,着重介绍了重金属超富'集植物的研究和植物体内螯合肽(PCs)的合成.生物螯合剂的应用及土壤重金属污染的动物、植物和微生物的联合修复将是未来研究的热点.     

黏土矿物中重金属离子的吸附规律及竞争吸附

采用等温吸附法,研究了重金属铜、铅、镉、镍在膨润土中的吸附特征,发现膨润土对铜、铅的吸附明显强于镉、镍,吸附强度大小顺序为Pb2 >Cu2 >Ni2 >Cd2 。Langmuir和Freundlich方程对这4种金属离子等温吸附的拟合均呈极显著关系。Pb2 、Cd2 、Ni2 分别与Cu2 的双组分竞争吸附表明,黏土矿物对4种离子具有"选择性吸附"。在Pb2 、Ni2 、Cd2 的存在条件下,黏土矿物对Cu2 的吸附产生不同程度的下降;100mg/LCu2 对Pb2 的影响不大,但可完全抑制Ni2 、Cd2 的吸附。建立了IAS和LCA模型来预测Pb2 与Cu2 的双组分竞争吸附,并对LCA模型进行修正,提出了更符合实际情况的竞争吸附模型。文章最后用LCA修正模型对Pb2 与Cu2 的双组分竞争吸附进行了模拟。     

重金属污染可能改变稻田土壤团聚体组成及其重金属分配

采集了太湖地区污染与非污染稻田表土,采用原状土低能量分离-分散技术提取土壤团聚体粒组,分析土壤中不同粒径团聚体颗粒组质量组成和Pb、Cd、Hg、As等重金属元素的含量, 讨论重金属污染下土壤团聚体组成和重金属团聚体分配的变化.结果表明：在重金属污染下,供试水稻土砂粒级团聚体减少,而较细粒径团聚体相对增多;4种重金属元素在不同粒径团聚体颗粒组中的含量存在差异,但随粒径的变化趋势基本一致,即在<0.002 mm粒径的颗粒组中最高, 其次是0.2～2 mm粒径的颗粒组,而在0.02～0.2 mm和0.002～0.02 mm粒径的团聚体中呈现亏缺现象（富集系数为0.56～0.96）.表明重金属污染可能减弱了较大土壤团聚体的形成,导致细粒径团聚体相对增多,从而明显提高了重金属元素在粉砂和粘粒组团聚体中的分配,这可能进一步提高了污染农田重金属的水迁移和大气颗粒物迁移的风险.对于重金属污染对稻田土壤生物物理和生物化学过程的影响及其机制还需要进一步研究.     

Effect of various amendments on heavy mineral oil bioremediation and soil microbial activity

To examine the effects of amendments on the degradation of heavy mineral oil, we conducted a pilot-scale experiment in the field for 105 days. During the experiment, soil samples were collected and analyzed periodically to determine the amount of residual hydrocarbons and evaluate the effects of the amendments on microbial activity. After 105 days, the initial level of contamination (7490+/-480 mg hydrocarbon kg(-1) soil) was reduced by 18-40% in amended soils, whereas it was only reduced by 9% in nonamended soil. Heavy mineral oil degradation was much faster and more complete in compost-amended soil than in hay-, sawdust-, and mineral nutrient-amended soils. The enhanced degradation of heavy mineral oil in compost-amended soil may be a result of the significantly higher microbial activity in this soil. Among the studied microbial parameters, soil dehydrogenase, lipase, and urease activities were strongly and negatively correlated with heavy mineral oil biodegradation (P<0.01) in compost-amended soil.     

Enhanced heavy metal immobilization by a bacterial-chitosan complex in soil

Soil contaminated with heavy metals (e.g., Pb²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Zn²⁺) was treated with aminopoly-saccharide chitosan alone or a strain of the bacterium Bacillus subtilis to determine their effects on metal ion accumulations. Phosphatase and Chitosanase production were also assayed. The combined bacterial-chitosan treatment showed the greater accumulation of Zn²⁺ followed by Cu²⁺ as compared to single treatments, while Pb²⁺ did not show a marked accumulation by either single or combined treatments.     

Enhanced heavy metal immobilization by a bacterial-chitosan complex in soil

Soil contaminated with heavy metals (e.g., Pb²⁺, Cu²⁺, and Zn²⁺) was treated with aminopoly-saccharide chitosan alone or a strain of the bacterium Bacillus subtilis to determine their effects on metal ion accumulations. Phosphatase and Chitosanase production were also assayed. The combined bacterial-chitosan treatment showed the greater accumulation of Zn²⁺ followed by Cu²⁺ as compared to single treatments, while Pb²⁺ did not show a marked accumulation by either single or combined treatments.     

有机物料对白浆土金属氧化物形态转化和迁移的影响及其肥力效应

通过土柱淋溶试验研究了牧草粉腐解物对白浆土Ｆｅ、Ｍｎ、Ａｌ氧化物形态转化及剖面迁移的影响及其对土壤Ｐ素形态转化和有效性的影响．结果表明,加有机物料淋溶使土壤ＤＴＰＡ提取态或有机络合Ｆｅ、Ｍｎ、Ａｌ氧化物含量显著上升;有效磷含量也极显著上升,主要在于铝磷和铁磷含量的增加;白浆层土壤中有效态磷及无机磷各形态均随着腐熟牧草粉用量的加大而极显著地升高,表层土壤中有效态磷、铝磷、铁磷的变化也与加入的腐熟牧草粉极显著正相关．土壤有效态磷、铝磷、铁磷与ＤＴＰＡ提取态和有机络合态Ｆｅ、Ｍｎ显著或极显著相关,但在表层土壤磷素各形态与ＤＴＰＡ及焦磷酸钠提取的Ａｌ呈极显著负相关,而白浆层却是极显著正相关．     

重金属污染土壤植物修复的研究进展和应用前景

土壤污染是当今面临的一个严峻的问题。其中重金属污染尤为严重。因此重金属污染土壤的修复日益受到各国政府和学者的重视。植物修复技术作为一种绿色安全的技术以其潜在的高效、经济及生态协调性成为当前国际学术界研究的热点领域。就植物修复技术的概念、方法原理、植物修复技术的研究历史和现状以及优点、应用前景作了系统阐述,并介绍了国内外开展的一些应用性实例。指出了植物修复技术当前还存在的问题。对今后发展的方向。作出了几点展望。     

不同灌溉模式对稻田土壤及糙米重金属积累的影响

为探讨降低土壤和糙米重金属的灌溉模式, 选取江西省萍乡地区的中度重金属污染稻田, 研究了灌浆期习惯性灌溉(间歇性灌溉)和长期淹水灌溉2种灌溉模式对水稻产量、糙米重金属及土壤理化性质的影响。结果表明: 与习惯性灌溉相比, 长期淹水灌溉条件下的水稻产量降低1.25%; 糙米Cd和Pb含量分别降低42.79%和3.70%, 其中糙米Cr含量显著降低44.81%, 但糙米Hg含量显著增加200%, 糙米无机As含量增加3.29%; 土壤Cd含量降低38.77%, 其中土壤有效态Cd含量和阳离子交换量显著降低72.08%和36.71%, 但土壤pH和有机质增加0.97%和6.32%; 同时相关性分析发现糙米Cr含量与土壤有机质呈显著负相关, 与阳离子交换量呈显著正相关, 糙米Hg含量与土壤有效态Cd含量和阳离子交换量呈极显著负相关。长期淹水灌溉可有效降低污染稻田土壤Cd进入水稻, 实现水稻安全生产, 但会增加糙米Hg积累和减产。     

Effect of heavy metal-solubilizing microorganisms on zinc and cadmium extractions from heavy metal contaminated soil with Tricholoma lobynsis

The macrofungus, Tricholoma lobynsis, was chosen to remedy Zn–Cd–Pb contaminated soil. To enhance its metal-extracting efficiency, two heavy metal resistant microbes M6 and K1 were applied owing to their excellent abilities to solubilize heavy metal salts. The two isolated microbial strains could also produce indole acetic acid (IAA), siderophore and solubilize inorganic phosphate, but neither of them showed 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate deaminase activity. The strains M6 and K1 were identified as Serratia marcescens and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa based on 16S rDNA and ITS sequence analysis respectively. Pot experiment showed that spraying to T. lobynsis-inoculated soil with M6 and K1 respectively could increase total Cd accumulations of this mushroom by 216 and 61%, and Zn by 153 and 49% compared to the uninoculated control. Pb accumulation however, was too low (<1 mg kg⁻¹) to be determined. The results illustrated that special microbes and macrofungi can work together to remedy polluted soil as plant and plant growth promoting microbes do, probably because of excellent metal-accumulating abilities of macrofungi and IAA-siderophore production, phosphate solubilization abilities of the assisted-microbes. This kind of macrofungi-microbe interaction can be developed into a novel bioremediation strategy.     

淮南市重金属污染对土壤动物群落和多样性影响研究

通过对淮南煤矿和发电厂及灰场污染地的土壤动物群落结构进行分析。结果表明,土壤动物群落的组成与数量随着污染的加重而减少,土壤动物的密度也有同样的变化趋势;在重污染土壤中,优势类群与常见类群的种类明显减少。随着污染的加重使土壤动物的种类和数量逐渐减少。重金属污染对土壤动物群落结构的影响是随着污染的加重,多样性指数、均匀性指数、密度类群指数都有减少的趋势,优势度指数在灰场外围是先增加后减少。在群落指标的相关性中,多样性指数和均匀性指数呈密切正相关,多样性指数与优势性指数呈负相关,有机质含量与土壤动物个体数量关系不密切。     

The distribution of topically applied heavy metals in the soil

Summary Long-term pot experiments were conducted to determine the leaching potential of topically applied lead, cadmium, and nickel through the soil. Four rates of each metal (0, 10, 100 and 200 mg/kg soil), in the nitrate form were used. Metals were extracted with acidic ammonium acetate after 30 weeks of intermittent leaching. The concentration of extractable element varied with the depth in the soil and the type of extractable metal. Lead was confined to the upper few centimeters of soil whereas cadmium moved down to a considerable depth. Nickel was more uniformly distributed over the total soil depth than the other two metals. The concentration gradients observed are discussed with respect to their effect on germination and yield of plants.     

Effect of heavy metal pollution on mineral absorption in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) hybrids

The present study was conducted in a potted experiment to examine the effects of chromium pollution on absorption of mineral nutrients and some morpho-physiological attributes of two sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) hybrids (FH-331 and FH-259) in the presence and absence of ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) used as a chelating agent. Four concentrations of chromium (Cr³⁺) i.e., 0, 20, 30 and 40 mg kg^?1 with and without 0.3 g kg^?1, EDTA as chelating agent were applied to 25-day-old sunflower plants. A gradually decreasing trend in absorption of all minerals and other parameters studied were observed. Different treatments of Cr³⁺ as well as Cr³⁺ and EDTA significantly reduced root and shoot fresh weight; however, root, shoot and achene Cr³⁺ contents of two sunflowers hybrids under higher chromium and EDTA stress varied significantly whereas movement of Cr³⁺ contents to leaves was non-significant. Absorption of Na⁺, K⁺, N₂ and P through roots and shoots significantly reduced with increasing concentration of Cr³⁺ treatments. In fact addition of EDTA to the medium further enhanced the toxicity of chromium.