The impact of a salinity barrier on the partitioning of heavy metals in sediments of a tropical backwater system

Abstract

Concentrations of heavy metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu and Fe) in surface sediments and their partitioning behaviour between exchangeable, reducible (Fe-Mn oxide bound) and organic/residual phases of the sediments in a typical backwater system of Kerala, viz. the southern upstream part of Cochin Estuarine System (South India), have been studied. Spatial and temporal variations of trace metals are discussed with special reference to pH, dissolved oxygen, salinity, organic carbon and texture of sediment. Metal concentrations in the tide gated part of the estuary were found to be significantly higher when compared to metal concentrations reported from the unrestricted part of the Cochin estuarine system and also those from many of the unpolluted estuaries worldwide. The higher levels of heavy metals in the study area and their characteristic distribution and partitioning behaviour in the surficial sediments were attributed to the presence of a salinity barrier across the backwater system and also by the massive use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers in the vast area of agricultural land near the backwater system.     

Assessment of genetic diversity and population structure in pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) using hypervariable SSR markers

Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants - The present study investigates the genetic diversity and population structure among 42 diverse pomegranate genotypes using a set of twenty one class I...     

Comparative analysis of metabolites in contrasting chickpea cultivars

Journal of Plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology - Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) is a good source of nutrients for animals and human consumption. In the present study, we analyzed the anthocyanin...     

TP53 codon 72 polymorphism and type 2 diabetes: a case–control study in South Indian population

Molecular Biology Reports - TP53 functions primarily as a tumor suppressor, controlling a myriad of signalling pathways that prevent a cell from undergoing malignant transformation. This tumor...     

Do the beneficial fungi manage phytosanitary problems in the tea agro-ecosystem?

BioControl - In recent years, Fungal Biocontrol Agents (FBCAs) have played a significant role in the biological control of pests and plant pathogens of several economically important crops,...     

Diffusion of kinesin motors on cargo can enhance binding and run lengths during intracellular transport

Cellular cargoes, including lipid droplets and mitochondria, are transported along microtubules using molecular motors such as kinesins. Many experimental and computational studies focused on cargoes with rigidly attached motors, in contrast to many biological cargoes that have lipid surfaces that may allow surface mobility of motors. We extend a mechanochemical three-dimensional computational model by adding coupled-viscosity effects to compare different motor arrangements and mobilities. We show that organizational changes can optimize for different objectives: Cargoes with clustered motors are transported efficiently but are slow to bind to microtubules, whereas those with motors dispersed rigidly on their surface bind microtubules quickly but are transported inefficiently. Finally, cargoes with freely diffusing motors have both fast binding and efficient transport, although less efficient than clustered motors. These results suggest that experimentally observed changes in motor organization may be a control point for transport.     

Design,Synthesis and Molecular Docking Studies of Novel Indole–Isoxazole–Triazole Conjugates as Potent Antibacterial Agents

Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry - In search of better antibacterial agents, a series of novel 5-((aryl)methyl)-3-(1H-indol-2-yl)isoxazole (IIIa–e) and...     

Extracellular solvent stable cold-active lipase from psychrotrophic Bacillus sphaericus MTCC 7526: partial purification and characterization

Psychrotropic Bacillus sphaericus producing solvent stable cold-active lipase upon growth at low temperature was isolated from Gangotri glacier. Optimal parameters for lipase production were investigated and the strain was able to produce lipase even at 15 °C. An incubation period of 48 h and pH 8 was found to be conducive for cold-active lipase production. The addition of trybutyrin as substrate and lactose as additional carbon source increased lipase production. The enzyme was purified up to 17.74-fold by ammonium sulphate precipitation followed by DEAE cellulose column chromatography. The optimum temperature and pH for lipase activity were found to be 15 °C and 8.0, respectively. The lipase was found to be stable in the temperature range 20–30 °C and the pH range 6.0–9.0. The protein retained more than 83 % of its initial activity after exposure to organic solvents. The lipase exhibited significant stability in presence of acetone and DMSO retaining >90 % activity. The enzyme activity was inhibited by 10 mM CuSO₄ and EDTA but showed no loss in activity after incubation with other metals or inhibitors examined in this study.