A study on the utility of immobilized cells of indigenous bacteria for biodegradation of reactive azo dyes

Abstract

Azo dyes are recalcitrant compounds used as a colorant in various industries. The pollution caused by their extensive usage has adversely affected the environment for years. The existing physicochemical methods for dye pollution remediation are rather inefficient and hence there is a dearth of low-cost, potential systems capable of dye degradation. The current research studies the biodegradation potential of immobilized bacterial cells against azo dyes Reactive Orange 16 (RO-16) and Reactive Blue 250 (RB-250). Two indigenous dye degrading bacteria Bacillus sp. VITAKB20 and Lysinibacillus sp. KPB6 was isolated from textile sludge sample. Free cells of Bacillus. sp. VITAKB20 degraded 92.38% of RO-16 and that of Lysinibacillus sp. KPB6 degraded 95.36% of RB-250 within 72?h under static conditions. Upon immobilization with calcium alginate, dye degradation occurred rapidly. Bacillus. sp. VITAKB20 degraded 97.5% of RO-16 and Lysinibacillus sp. KPB6 degraded 98.2% of RB-250 within 48?h under shaking conditions. Further, the nature of dye decolorization was biodegradation as evident by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results. Phytotoxicity and biotoxicity assays revealed that the degraded dye products were less toxic in nature than the pure dyes. Thus, immobilization proved to be a highly likely alternative treatment for dye removal.     

Optimization of redox reactions employing whole cell biocatalysis

The ability of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to catalyse the reduction reaction of carboxylic acids into alcohols is described. Earlier reports have led to the characterization of the reduction of carbonyl groups into alcohols mediated by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase. We investigated the ability of this organism to catalyse the said conversion using the carboxylic acids, acetic acid and butyric acid. In the absence of any previous characterization, whole cell catalysis proved effective. The uptake of these acids from the medium was estimated using a plate assay method involving litmus-agar. The plate assay was found to be a convenient and extremely adaptable method for quantitation of acids in organic as well as aqueous medium. The comparison of existing paradigms in pure protein catalysis with whole cells catalysis proved anomalous. We report that it is solvent toxicity rather than hydrophobic index that correlates with the activity observed in non-aqueous conditions for whole cell biocatalysis. Reduction of acetic acid as well as butyric acid occurred, with efficiency of reaction with butyric acid being marginally higher. The reduction therefore occurs for both the short chain carboxylic acids used in this study. We therefore illustrate the reduction route of acids into alcohols and propose a model two-step pathway for the reaction. Process optimization may be further attempted to enhance the presently moderate reaction efficiencies. Steps made in the direction by studying the pH dependency and use of sacrificial substrate have yielded encouraging results.     

磷烯纳米材料的生物毒性研究进展

磷烯,即单层黑磷（BP）,由于具有直接带隙、显著的结构和功能各向异性、高电荷载流子迁移率等,已经在生物医学、药物输送、生物传感、疾病的诊断和治疗等领域取得了很大的进展。和其他纳米材料相比,磷烯具有更优异的生物相容性和生物可降解性,在生物医药领域有很好的应用前景。虽然已有大量磷烯生物学效应的报道,但磷烯与生物大分子,如核酸、脂质、蛋白质之间相互作用的过程细节仍缺乏系统的研究。目前实验上无法观测磷烯与生物分子相互作用的动力学过程,分子模拟在获取精确动态结构方面具有独特的优势,被广泛应用于纳米材料和生物学领域。本文综述了近年来国内外利用计算机仿真和实验方法在磷烯纳米材料与蛋白质、脂质膜和DNA等生物大分子相互作用方面取得的最新研究进展,对磷烯生物毒性目前的研究进行了评述,并对未来需要解决的问题作了分析。本文将促进磷烯生物学效应的基础研究,也将推动磷烯纳米材料在生物医药领域的应用。     

Bio-active monoterpenes from red seaweeds

A new ochtodane from Chondrococcus hornemanii and the biotoxocity of other seaweed monoterpenes is reported.     

环境因子对小麦体内镉的生物毒性和植物络合素合成的影响

采用水培方式,研究了不同环境因子对小麦体内Cd的生物毒性与植物络合素(PCs)合成的影响.结果表明,Cd胁迫对小麦产生明显的毒害效应,并显著诱导根合成PCs;pH、Ca和S对小麦体内Cd的吸收和生物毒性具有不同程度的影响,根中PCs的诱导量与Cd的生物毒性变化表现一致;供磷减轻了Cd胁迫的生物毒性,根中PCs的诱导量也显著降低;镁对Cd胁迫的生物毒性影响甚微,根中PCs的诱导量和Cd的吸收量均未见明显变化.本实验结果证明Cd对PCs的诱导能力与植物体内Cd的毒性之间存在一定的相关关系,可将PCs作为Cd胁迫的生物标记物.     

土壤重金属生物毒性研究进展

世界范围内土壤重金属污染不断加重,由污染所带来的问题以及如何治理污染已经受到人们越来越多的关注.土壤重金属将对土壤生物产生影响,而土壤生物在重金属的胁迫下也会产生不同的响应.综述了国内外近年来土壤重金属生物毒性的研究进展,介绍了土壤重金属污染对陆地生态系统中植物、动物和微生物生长的影响;土壤重金属生物毒性的影响因素;土壤重金属生物毒性的研究方法;土壤重金属生物毒性的预测模型,最后提出了问题和展望.     

河岸带土壤重金属元素的污染及危害评价

测定了金水河流域河岸带土壤部分重金属的全量和土壤水溶液的离子含量,运用污染指数和生态风险评价法对流域内土壤重金属进行评价.不同土地利用类型中,漫滩V、Cr含量最高(130.89、363.29 mg·kg-1),草地Ni、Pb、Ti、Mn、Zn、Cu含量最高(32.52、24.61、4378.09、1289.62、91.44、29.71 mg·kg-1).这主要是因为草地、漫滩能够有效吸附和沉积重金属,同时人类活动明显增加重金属生态危害.金水河流域河岸带土壤Cr、Pb、Zn均超过土壤环境质量标准(GB 15618-1995).与此同时,河漫滩白浆化棕壤和钙质粗骨土碳酸钙含量高,对Pb、Zn有较强的吸附和固定作用,能够有效吸附和沉积重金属;河漫滩人类干扰较重,造成其重金属含量较高.评价结果表明,流域河岸带内重金属环境污染达到中、重度污染,生态危害等级为轻微到中等级别.提高土壤腐殖质含量是减轻污染危害及增强土壤自净能力的重要措施.