Evaluation of aluminum phosphide against wood-destroying insects

Aluminum phosphide, a well-known stored grain fumigant, available in solid formulation, has shown promise as wood fumigant. This chemical decomposes to phosphine when exposed to moisture. The feasibility of fumigant treatment to extend the service life of wood was evaluated in a small block test of two wood species. Hard wood (Mangifera indica L.) and conifer blocks (Pinus roxburghii Sargent) were fumigated with different concentrations (0.05, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8, and 1.6%) of aluminum phosphide. Fumigated blocks were exposed to Lyctus africanus Lesne (Coleoptera; Lyctidae) larvae. Results revealed that aluminum phosphide showed complete mortality of Lyctus larvae at 0.2% concentration, that is, 0.93 g/m3 retention level. Mean mortality of 74% of Lyctus larvae was observed in soft wood blocks fumigated with lowest concentration, that is, 0.05% of aluminum phosphide, whereas in hard wood blocks > 85% mortality was observed at this concentration.     

Effect of aluminium phosphide exposure on kinetic properties of cytochrome oxidase and mitochondrial energy metabolism in rat brain

This study involves the effect of aluminium phosphide exposure on the kinetic characteristics of cytochrome oxidase and the mitochondrial respiratory chain function in rat brain. Mitochondrial preparations from both control and aluminium phosphide-treated rats demonstrated significant decrease in the maximal activity of cytochrome oxidase (approximately 50%) when expressed per unit membrane protein and on a turnover number basis (nmol/min/nmol haem a). The results indicated that there was a decrease in the catalytic efficiency of the active oxidase molecules on aluminium phosphide treatment. Arrhenius plot characteristics differ for cytochrome oxidase activity in mitochondria isolated from treated and control rats, in the break point of the biphasic plot which was shifted to a higher temperature. The decreased activity of cytochrome oxidase along with altered NADH and succinic dehydrogenase activities might have contributed towards a significant decline in state 3 and state 4 respiration. These alterations in the electron transport chain complexes in turn affected the ATP synthesis rate adversely in the mitochondria, isolated from treated rats. The data reflect the interaction of aluminium phosphide with redox chain components leading to the impairment of the electron transfer along the respiratory chain.     

A preliminary study of aluminium and the tea bush

Summary The phenomenon of uptake of aluminium by the tea bush has been examined in relation to its constancy as a characteristic feature, age of leaf and tree, genetic constitution, resistance to certain diseases, distribution within the plant, interactions with manganese and phosphorus, soil, essentiality and finally in relation to other aluminium-plants.Strong aluminium absorption appears to be a constant feature for all healthy bushes of any age, the element is stored in the oldest leaves but it does not impart any resistance to blister blight but it occurs to a greater extent than normal in flushes with tea yellows; it is gene-controlled, there being three distinct levels of accumulation corresponding with the three major divisions of the species. The presence of abundant available aluminium in the soil will not prevent excessive uptake of managanese accompanied by severe leaf scorch and spotting in bright light. Aluminium tends to diminish leaf phosphorus while manganese tends to increase it. Large amounts of available soil manganese may induce greater uptake of aluminium andvice versa. Small quantities of aluminium within tea leaves are associated with degree of greenness, but the large accumulations probably do not serve any useful purpose. Exchangeable soil aluminium may stimulate roots, particularly tap-roots or root-stocks. The tea bush may be a relict plant like so many of other aluminium accumulators.     

Phosphine resistance in Tribolium castaneum and Rhyzopertha dominica from stored wheat in Oklahoma

Phosphine gas, or hydrogen phosphide (PH3), is the most common insecticide applied to durable stored products worldwide and is routinely used in the United States for treatment of bulk-stored cereal grains and other durable stored products. Research from the late 1980s revealed low frequencies of resistance to various residual grain protectant insecticides and to phosphine in grain insect species collected in Oklahoma. The present work, which used the same previously established discriminating dose bioassays for phosphine toxicity as in the earlier study, evaluated adults of nine different populations of red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), and five populations of lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) collected from different geographic locations in Oklahoma. One additional population for each species was a laboratory susceptible strain. Discriminating dose assays determined eight out of the nine T. castaneum populations, and all five populations of R. dominica, contained phosphine-resistant individuals, and highest resistance frequencies were 94 and 98%, respectively. Dose-response bioassays and logit analyses determined that LC99 values were approximately 3 ppm for susceptible and 377 ppm for resistant T. castaneum, and approximately 2 ppm for susceptible and 3,430 ppm for resistant R. dominica. The most resistant T. castaneum population was 119-fold more resistant than the susceptible strain and the most resistant R. dominica population was over 1,500-fold more resistant. Results suggest a substantial increase in phosphine resistance in these major stored-wheat pests in the past 21 yr, and these levels of resistance to phosphine approach those reported for other stored-grain pest species in other countries.     

Diagnostic Molecular Markers for Phosphine Resistance in U.S. Populations of Tribolium castaneum and Rhyzopertha dominica

Stored product beetles that are resistant to the fumigant pesticide phosphine (hydrogen phosphide) gas have been reported for more than 40 years in many places worldwide. Traditionally, determination of phosphine resistance in stored product beetles is based on a discriminating dose bioassay that can take up to two weeks to evaluate. We developed a diagnostic cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence method, CAPS, to detect individuals with alleles for strong resistance to phosphine in populations of the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, and the lesser grain borer, Rhyzopertha dominica, according to a single nucleotide mutation in the dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (DLD) gene. We initially isolated and sequenced the DLD genes from susceptible and strongly resistant populations of both species. The corresponding amino acid sequences were then deduced. A single amino acid mutation in DLD in populations of T. castaneum and R. dominica with strong resistance was identified as P45S in T. castaneum and P49S in R. dominica, both collected from northern Oklahoma, USA. PCR products containing these mutations were digested by the restriction enzymes MboI and BstNI, which revealed presence or absence, respectively of the resistant (R) allele and allowed inference of genotypes with that allele. Seven populations of T. castaneum from Kansas were subjected to discriminating dose bioassays for the weak and strong resistance phenotypes. Application of CAPS to these seven populations confirmed the R allele was in high frequency in the strongly resistant populations, and was absent or at a lower frequency in populations with weak resistance, which suggests that these populations with a low frequency of the R allele have the potential for selection of the strong resistance phenotype. CAPS markers for strong phosphine resistance will help to detect and confirm resistant beetles and can facilitate resistance management actions against a given pest population.     

Effects of aluminium on nodulation of two Stylosanthes species grown in nutrient solution

Summary Effects of three solution aluminium concentrations (0, 25 and 100 M) on nodulation ofStylosanthes hamata andStylosanthes scabra inoculated with Rhizobium CB 756 were studied using nutrient solution culture. Aluminium strongly affected nodulation by delaying nodule appearance and reducing the number and dry weight of nodules in both species. The effects of aluminium toxicity on nodulation were more pronounced inStylosanthes scabra than inStylosanthes hamata. These effects of aluminium on nodulation occurred before any significant effect of aluminium on top growth, root growth or root elongation. A plant transfer experiment suggested that aluminium interfered with root infection and/or nodule initiation in both species. The detrimental effect of aluminium on nodulation appeared to be associated with a reduction in lateral root density, thus decreasing the potential number of sites for root infection and nodule formation.     

Metabolic and functional studies on post-mortem human brain

The evidence that samples of human brain tissue obtained at autopsy may be used as starting material for the isolation of cellular and subcellular preparations which exhibit metabolic and functional activity when incubated in vitro has been reviewed. Supporting evidence has been found in data from model experiments which used animal brain as the source material. Active preparations have been obtained after considerable (up to 24 h) post mortem delays. Such findings are less surprising when the post mortem stability of key tissue components (enzymes, receptors, nucleic acids) and the retention of cellular integrity are examined. The data from these fields have been reviewed and their relevance to functional studies assessed. Studies which use human autopsy material must consider many additional sources of variation not found in experiments with animal brain and the major problems are briefly discussed. It is argued that functional experiments present few, if any, difficulties not already inherent in static analyses of autopsy material and some procedures which help to minimise these difficulties are outlined. Experimentation in this area is greatly aided by the finding that metabolically and functionally active preparations may be obtained from frozen tissue pieces. Dynamic studies provide a new approach for testing hypotheses of the mechanisms underlying human brain disorders and for studying the actions of neuroactive drugs in man.     

Altered glucose homeostasis in response to aluminium phosphide induced cellular oxygen deficit in rat

The present study was designed to analyze the effect of acute aluminium phosphide (ALP) (10 mg/kg body wt.) exposure on the glucose homeostasis in rat liver and brain. ALP has been implicated in the inhibition of cytochrome oxidase causing reduced oxygen uptake and decreased ATP synthesis eventually resulting in cellular energy crisis. A significant decrease in plasma glucose levels in the ALP treated rats has been observed. Therefore, decreased ATP levels coupled with hypoglycemia may further intensify the cellular energy deficits. In order to meet the sudden increase in the local energy demand, the brain tissue utilizes its stored energy in the form of glycogen breakdown as observed by a decrease in the glycogen levels in both liver and brain which was accompanied by a marked increase in the activity of glycogen phosphorylase in both the tissues. The glycolytic rate was found to be enhanced in brain tissue as evident by increased activities of hexokinase and phosphofructokinase enzymes, but decreased in liver of ALP treated rats. Lactate levels were increased in plasma and brain, but decreased in liver of ALP treated rats. Pyruvate levels increased in the plasma and liver, but no change was observed in the brain tissue. ALP did not cause any change in the gluconeogenic enzymes like glucose-6-phosphatase and fructose-1,6-bisphophatase in brain, but a significant increase was observed in the liver. Results of the study showed that ALP induced cellular energy deficit leads to compromised energy status of liver and brain coupled with substantial alterations in glucose homeostasis. However, the activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase decreased significantly in both the tissues.     

Matrix bound phosphine formation and depletion in eutrophic lake sediment fermentation-simulation of different environmental factors

Closed anaerobic batch-fermentation of eutrophic lake sediment samples was performed under variation of four environmental fermentation factors (pH, temperature, water/sediment ratio and disturbance) to learn how the quantity of phosphine will change and if the quantity of phosphine can increase. The fermentation conditions where matrix bound phosphine (MBP) increased (doubled from 3193+/-520 to about 7982+/-1003 ng/kg) were: a pH of 8 and of 10 (as compared to 1, 2, 4, 6, 12), a temperature of 20 and 30 degrees C (as compared to 4 and 40 degrees C), a water/sediment ratio of 3:1 (as compared to 1:1, 2:1, 5:1) and a disturbance of 100 r/min (as compared to 0 r/min), respectively. Although, over the full time course of fermentation, the balance of phosphine production became negative again or did remain almost unchanged under most conditions. A pH of 1 or disturbance of 150 r/min was significant factors to decrease phosphine over the long term. Free phosphine had been detected but was of minor importance (in the order of 60.9+/-10.1 ng/m(3)). Overall, the fermentation conditions which had been most favorable for microbial life (moderate temperature (20 and 30 degrees C) and pH 8) were also most favorable for a positive phosphine balance. This is an indication, but no biochemical proof that a natural (biogenic, microbial, biochemical) NET PRODUCTION of phosphine or DE NOVO PRODUCTION of phosphine has occurred. MBP concentrations in lake sediments were discussed as to be strongly dependent on a balance of natural generation and depletion processes, dependent of the simulated parameters.     

The role of transferrin and citrate in cellular uptake of aluminium

Summary The ability of human erythroleukaemia K562 cells to take up aluminium from Al-transferrin and Al-citrate has been examined. Uptake from Al-transferrin was dose-dependent over the range 68–544 ng/ml of aluminium, and increased over a 12-day period. In contrast, uptake from Al-citrate was low even at an aluminium concentration of 6800 ng/ml and did not increase over time. Neither form of aluminium greatly affected cell growth. It is concluded that Al-transferrin, rather than Al-citrate, is the physiologically relevant form of this metal with respect to cellular uptake, but that any metabolic abnormalities induced by aluminium do not affect proliferation of this cell line.     

Water scarcity footprint of primary aluminium

Purpose

The cradle-to-gate water scarcity footprint (WSFP) of primary aluminium has been determined for global aluminium including China (GLO) and global aluminium excluding China (RoW). It consists of the following:

• the direct WSFP, based on the freshwater consumption data collected by the IAI from global bauxite mines, alumina refiners and aluminium smelters and the local water scarcity index (WSI) of each plant, and
• the indirect WSFP which has been calculated using data collected by thinkstep on the freshwater consumption of the different ancillary materials, of the fuel and of the electricity needed for the production of alumina and aluminium and the relevant water scarcity indexes.

Methods

The calculation of the direct WSFP follows the requirement of ISO 14046 to aggregate data of sites at locations with different water scarcity after multiplication with the local water scarcity index.For the indirect WSFP, regional averages of the water consumption and water scarcity index were used for an initial screening study to determine fields for further investigation. Results of this study demonstrate that data on evaporation of water from reservoirs of hydropower plants has an extremely high contribution to the indirect WSFP of primary aluminium (79 % of the GLO value and 92 % of the RoW value).Therefore, a plant-by-plant approach was applied for hydropower which considers the net freshwater consumption of the hydropower reservoirs and uses the local water scarcity index of each power station, individually, for the calculation of the generic WSFP of the country or region. A special treatment has been given to some multipurpose reservoirs which typically have a beneficial effect on water scarcity, i.e. they have a negative WSFP if seasonal water scarcity indices are used.

Results and discussion

With this approach, the WSFP of primary aluminium has been calculated as follows:

• 18.2 m³ H₂Oe./tonne for global primary aluminium (GLO);
• 9.6 m³ H₂Oe/tonne for global primary aluminium, excluding China (RoW).

Conclusions

In order to avoid distorted results of water footprint studies, in depth analysis of identified hotspots in water consumption is necessary, in this case the plant-by plant approach, in accordance with ISO 14046. Data providers are encouraged to facilitate such analysis by improving the accessibility of such detailed data.

     

Analysis of greenhouse gas emissions related to aluminium transport applications

Background, aim and scope

Climate change is a subject of growing global concern. Based on International Energy Agency (IEA 2004) research, about 19% of the greenhouse gas emissions from fuel combustion are generated by the transportation sector, and its share is likely to grow. Significant increases in the vehicles fleets are expected in particular in China, India, the Middle East and Latin America. As a result, reducing vehicle fuel consumption is most essential for the future. The reduction of the vehicle weight, the introduction of improved engine technologies, lower air friction, better lubricants, etc. are established methods of improving fuel efficiency, reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Continued progress will be required along all these fronts with light-weighting being one of the most promising options for the global transport sector. This paper quantifies greenhouse gas savings realised from light-weighting cars with aluminium based on life cycle assessment methodology. The study uses a pragmatic approach to assess mass reduction by comparing specific examples of components meeting identical performance criteria. The four examples presented in this analysis come from practical applications of aluminium. For each case study, the vehicle manufacturer has supplied the respective masses of the aluminium and the alternative component.

Material and methods

A full life cycle assessment with regards to greenhouse gas emissions and savings has been carried out for different aluminium applications in cars as compared to the same applications in steel or cast iron. The case studies reference real cases, where aluminium is actually used in series production. The studies are based on a greenhouse gas lifecycle model, which has been developed following the ISO standard 14040 framework. For each component, sensitivity analysis is applied to determine the impact of lifetime driving distance, driving characteristics (impact of air friction) and recycling rate.

Results

Life cycle results show that in automotive applications, each kilogram of aluminium replacing mild steel, cast iron or high strength steel saves, depending on the specific case (bumper and motor block of a compact car, front hood of a large family car, body-in white of a luxury car), between 13 and 20 kg of greenhouse gas emissions.

Discussion

The performed sensitivity analysis finds that even with ‘worst case’ scenarios savings are still significant.

Conclusions

The results not only demonstrate significant benefits of aluminium with regard to greenhouse gas savings but also show that these are very sensitive to variations of the recycling rate, the life-time driving distance and the driving behaviour.

Recommendations and perspectives

Good care is needed to gather life-cycle data and to make informed estimates, where no data are available. Furthermore, greenhouse gas savings for additional components should be calculated using this life cycle model to sustain the findings.

     

Retinal Pathology of Pediatric Cerebral Malaria in Malawi

Introduction

The causes of coma and death in cerebral malaria remain unknown. Malarial retinopathy has been identified as an important clinical sign in the diagnosis and prognosis of cerebral malaria. As part of a larger autopsy study to determine causes of death in children with coma presenting to hospital in Blantyre, Malawi, who were fully evaluated clinically prior to death, we examined the histopathology of eyes of patients who died and underwent autopsy.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Children with coma were admitted to the pediatric research ward, classified according to clinical definitions as having cerebral malaria or another cause of coma, evaluated and treated. The eyes were examined by direct and indirect ophthalmoscopy. If a child died and permission was given, a standardized autopsy was carried out. The patient was then assigned an actual cause of death according to the autopsy findings. The eyes were examined pathologically for hemorrhages, cystoid macular edema, parasite sequestration and thrombi. They were stained immunohistochemically for fibrin and CD61 to identify the components of thrombi, β-amyloid precursor protein to detect axonal damage, for fibrinogen to identify vascular leakage and for glial fibrillary acidic protein to detect gliosis. Sixty-four eyes from 64 patients were examined: 35 with cerebral malaria and 29 with comas of other causes. Cerebral malaria was distinguished by sequestration of parasitized erythrocytes, the presence and severity of retinal hemorrhages, the presence of cystoid macular edema, the occurrence and number of fibrin-platelet thrombi, the presence and amount of axonal damage and vascular leakage.

Conclusions/Significance

We found significant differences in retinal histopathology between patients who died of cerebral malaria and those with other diagnoses. These histopathological findings offer insights into the etiology of malarial retinopathy and provide a pathological basis for recently described retinal capillary non-perfusion in children with malarial retinopathy. Because of the similarities between the retina and the brain it also suggests mechanisms that may contribute to coma and death in cerebral malaria.     

Effects of phosphine on the neural regulation of gas exchange in Periplaneta americana

Phosphine is used for fumigating stored commodities, however an understanding of the physiological response to phosphine in insects is limited. Here we show how the central pattern generator for ventilation in the central nervous system (CNS) responds to phosphine and influences normal resting gas exchange. Using the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana, that perform discontinuous gas exchange (DGE) at rest, we simultaneously measure ventilatory nervous output from the intact CNS, VCO(2) and water loss from live specimens. Exposure to 800 ppm phosphine at 25 degrees C for 2 h (n=13) during recording did not cause any mortality or obvious sub-lethal effects. Within 60 s of introducing phosphine into the air flow, all animals showed a distinct CNS response accompanied by a burst release of CO(2). The initial ventilatory response to phosphine displaced DGE and was typically followed by low, stable and continuous CO(2) output. CNS output was highest and most orderly under normoxic conditions during DGE. Phosphine caused a series of ventilatory CNS spikes preceding almost complete cessation of CNS output. Minimal CNS output was maintained during the 2 h normoxic recovery period and DGE was not reinstated. VCO(2) was slightly reduced and water loss significantly lower during the recovery period compared with those rates prior to phosphine exposure. A phosphine narcosis effect is rejected based on animals remaining alert at all times during exposure.     

The aluminium content of breast tissue taken from women with breast cancer

The aetiology of breast cancer is multifactorial. While there are known genetic predispositions to the disease it is probable that environmental factors are also involved. Recent research has demonstrated a regionally specific distribution of aluminium in breast tissue mastectomies while other work has suggested mechanisms whereby breast tissue aluminium might contribute towards the aetiology of breast cancer. We have looked to develop microwave digestion combined with a new form of graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry as a precise, accurate and reproducible method for the measurement of aluminium in breast tissue biopsies. We have used this method to test the thesis that there is a regional distribution of aluminium across the breast in women with breast cancer. Microwave digestion of whole breast tissue samples resulted in clear homogenous digests perfectly suitable for the determination of aluminium by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry. The instrument detection limit for the method was 0.48 μg/L. Method blanks were used to estimate background levels of contamination of 14.80 μg/L. The mean concentration of aluminium across all tissues was 0.39 μg Al/g tissue dry wt. There were no statistically significant regionally specific differences in the content of aluminium. We have developed a robust method for the precise and accurate measurement of aluminium in human breast tissue. There are very few such data currently available in the scientific literature and they will add substantially to our understanding of any putative role of aluminium in breast cancer. While we did not observe any statistically significant differences in aluminium content across the breast it has to be emphasised that herein we measured whole breast tissue and not defatted tissue where such a distribution was previously noted. We are very confident that the method developed herein could now be used to provide accurate and reproducible data on the aluminium content in defatted tissue and oil from such tissues and thereby contribute towards our knowledge on aluminium and any role in breast cancer.     

Validation of Verbal Autopsy Tool for Ascertaining the Causes of Stillbirth

Objective

To assess performance of the WHO revised verbal autopsy tool for ascertaining the causes of still birth in comparison with reference standard cause of death ascertained by standardized clinical and supportive data.

Methods

All stillbirths at a tertiary hospital in Karachi, Pakistan were prospectively recruited into study from August 2006- February 2008. The reference standard cause of death was established by two senior obstetricians within 48 hours using the ICD coding system. Verbal autopsy interviews using modified WHO tool were conducted by trained health workers within 2- 6 weeks of still birth and the cause of death was assigned by second panel of obstetricians. The performance was assessed in terms of sensitivity, specificity and Kappa.

Results

There were 204 still births. Of these, 80.8% of antepartum and 50.5% of intrapartum deaths were correctly diagnosed by verbal autopsy. Sensitivity of verbal autopsy was highest 68.4%, (95%CI: 46-84.6) for congenital malformation followed by obstetric complication 57.6%, (95%CI: 25-84.2). The specificity for all major causes was greater than 90%. The level of agreement was high (kappa=0.72) for anomalies and moderate (k=0.4) for all major causes of still birth, except asphyxia.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that verbal autopsy has reasonable validity in identifying and discriminating between causes of stillbirth in Pakistan. On the basis of these findings, we feel it has a place in resource constrained areas to inform strategic planning and mobilization of resources to attain Millennium Development Goals.     

儿童意外吸入磷化铝中毒55例临床分析及文献

目的:分析儿童意外吸入磷化铝中毒的临床特点、治疗方法及死亡原因。方法:对本院儿科2014年5月～2018年8月收治的55例意外吸入磷化铝中毒患者进行回顾性分析,根据病情严重程度将其分为轻度(31例)和重度(14例),统计患儿的年龄、性别、发病季节、中毒吸入时间、中毒就诊时间、临床症状、实验室及心电图检查。结果:55例吸入磷化铝中毒患儿中,死亡10例,存活45例,死亡患者均为重度中毒者,死亡原因为循环衰竭。轻度中毒毒素吸入时间平均为25.1 h,中毒后平均就诊时间14.6 h;重度中毒毒素吸入时间平均为185.4 h,中毒后平均就诊时间38.5 h;临床表现为恶心呕吐55例(100%),头晕、面色苍白14例(25%),心悸16例(29%),呼吸衰竭14例(25%),严重的心律失常8例(14.5%),低血压、心源性休克10例(18%);心电图检查:室上性心动过速1例,室性心动过速4例,II度II型房室传导阻滞1例,窦性心律不齐5例,窦性心动过速26例;实验室检查中心肌酶升高19例(34.5%);肝功能异常12例(21.8%);肾功能异常6例(10.9%);代谢性酸中毒14例(25%)。治疗上主要为对症支持治疗。结论:儿童意外吸入磷化铝中毒以重度中毒病例死亡率高,多为循环衰竭所致,目前无特效解毒药物,早期诊断和早期综合性治疗尤为重要。     

Aluminium accumulation and immunosuppressive effect in recipients of kidney transplants.

Aluminium that has accumulated in the body is thought to have a generalised cytotoxic effect. A prospective study of aluminium accumulation in bone-that is, subclinical aluminium toxicity--was carried out in 94 recipients of kidney allografts, who were followed up for three years. Subclinical aluminium toxicity was found in 66 patients. A significantly smaller proportion of patients with aluminium accumulation experienced a rejection episode: 30 (58%) nu 12 (86%) who received grafts from cadavers and 4 (29%) nu 10 (71%) who received grafts from living donors. On multivariate analysis only the source of the kidney and aluminium accumulation were found to influence the rejection rate. These findings suggest that aluminium accumulation has an immunosuppressive effect.     

Synthesis, structure and ethylene oligomerization behavior of non-symmetric bidentate neutral arylnickel(II) phosphine complexes

A series of new neutral arylnickel(II) phosphine complexes bearing non-symmetric bidentate chelate ligands, 3-aryliminomethyl-5-chloro-2-hydroxybenzaldehyde, have been synthesized, and the structure of representative complexes (2b and 2d) has been confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis. These neutral arylnickel(II) phosphine complexes have been investigated as catalysts for ethylene oligomerization. Using methylaluminoxane (MAO) as a cocatalyst, these complexes display high ethylene oligomerization activities. A catalytic activity of up to 4.6 × 10⁶ g mol⁻¹ h⁻¹ has been observed. The influence of Al/Ni molar ratio, reaction temperature, reaction period and pressure on catalytic activity was investigated.