Heavy Metal Immobilization in Contaminated Soils using Phosphogypsum and Rice Straw Compost

The application of soil amendments to immobilize heavy metals is a promising technology to meet the requirements for environmentally sound and cost‐effective remediation. The present study was carried out to evaluate the result of phosphogypsum (PG) used alone and in combination with compost (CP) at a mix ratio of 1:1 wet weight ratio (PG + CP) at 10 and 20 g dry weight kg⁻¹ dry soil, on heavy metal immobilization in contaminated soil and on canola growth. The results revealed that the Pb, Cd and Zn uptake of canola plants was reduced by the application of PG alone and when it was mixed with CP as compared with untreated soil. At an application rate of 10 g dry weight kg⁻¹ dry soil of (PG + CP) the dry weight of canola plants increased by 66·8% was increased in comparison with its weight in the untreated soil. The addition of PG alone resulted in more pronounced immobilization of heavy metal as compared with PG mixed with CP. Plant growth was improved with CP addition, but heavy metals immobilization was the greatest in PG alone treatments. Results suggest that PG may be useful for the immobilization of heavy metals in contaminated soils. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Virucidal efficacy of four new disinfectants

Virucidal efficacy was evaluated for four recently available disinfectants: chlorine dioxide, potassium peroxymonosulfate, a quaternary ammonium compound, and citricidal (grapefruit extract). Sodium hypochlorite (3%) and tap water were used as positive and negative controls respectively. Feline herpesvirus, feline calicivirus, and feline parvovirus were exposed to the manufacturers' recommended dilutions of the evaluated disinfectants. Both chlorine dioxide and potassium peroxymonosulfate completely inactivated the three viruses used in this study. These disinfectants can aid in controlling nosocomial transmission of viruses with less of the deleterious effects of sodium hypochlorite. The quaternary ammonium compound evaluated in this study and citricidal were not effective against feline calicivirus and feline parvovirus.     

Seed yield and water use efficiency of canola (Brassica napus L.) as affected by high temperature stress and supplemental irrigation

The effects of high temperature stress and supplemental irrigation on seed yield and water use efficiency (WUE) of canola (Brassica napus L.) were studied in a field experiment conducted for 2 years. The experiment was a randomized complete block design arranged in split plot, conducted at Agricultural Research Station of Gonbad, Iran. It was arranged in two conditions, i.e. supplemental irrigation and rainfed. Two cultivars of canola (Hyola401 and RGS003) as subplots were grown at five sowing dates as main plots. The sowing dates were 9 November, 6 December, 5 January, 4 February and 6 March in 2005-2006 and 6 November, 6 December, 5 January, 4 February and 6 March in 2006-2007, to have a wide range of environmental conditions around flowering and seed filling periods, and to coincide reproductive stages of the crop with high temperature stress. Seed yield was improved due to field management practices, such as supplemental irrigation and optimum sowing date. Supplemental irrigation was an efficient practice to mitigate water stress, and to increase aboveground dry matter and seed yield. There was a strongly negative relationship between seed yield and air temperature during reproductive stages. Delay in sowing led to more rapid developmental of canola, decreased aboveground dry matter, leaf area index (LAI), harvest index (HI), WUE, and seed yield. Achieving a high aboveground dry matter was an essential prerequisite for high reproductive growth and a high seed yield. Greater seed yield and WUE at first sowing date were associated with greater LAI and aboveground dry matter, and lower temperatures during reproductive stages. The results support the view that WUE can be used as an indirect selection criterion for seed yield in genotypic selection.     

Molecular characterization of canine coronavirus strains circulating in Brazil

To characterize canine coronavirus (CCoV) circulating in diarrheic puppies in Brazil, 250 fecal samples collected between 2006 and 2012 were tested. By using RT-PCR to partially amplify the M gene, CCoV RNA was detected in 30 samples. Sequence analysis of the M protein grouped eight strains with CCoV-I and another 19 with CCoV-II prototypes. To genotype/subtype the CCoV strains and assess the occurrence of single or multiple CCoV infections, RT-PCR of the S gene was performed, and 25/30 CCoV-positive strains amplified with one or two primer pairs. For 17/25 samples, single infections were detected as follows: six CCoV-I, nine CCoV-IIa and two CCoV-IIb. Eight samples were positive for more than one genotype/subtype as follows: seven CCoV-I/IIa and one CCoV-I/IIb. Sequence analysis revealed that the CCoV-I and IIa strains shared high genetic similarity to each other and to the prototypes. The Brazilian strains of CCoV-IIb displayed an aminoacid insertion that was also described in CCoV-IIb-UCD-1 and TGEV strains. Among the 25 CCoV-positive puppies, five had a fatal outcome, all but one of which were cases of mixed infection. The current study is the first reported molecular characterization of CCoV-I, IIa and IIb strains in Brazil.     

Laser fluorometric determination of aflatoxin B1 in corn.

A 2-step chromatographic separation, using both thin layer chromatography (TLC) and high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), in conjunction with the high sensitivity of laser fluorometry permits extension of the detection limits of aflatoxin contamination in corn to 0.1 ppb (microgram/kg) with a 26% root mean square variation. Aflatoxin B1 is extracted from corn with water-methanol and cleaned up by TLC. The recovery of aflatoxin from the TLC plates was linear from 10 to 1000 pg. Aflatoxin B1 is converted to the more highly fluorescent B2A derivative by treatment with 1N HCl. Experiments with aflatoxin B1 standard establish a constant conversion to B2A over approximately 3 orders of magnitude in B1 concentration. An extract of the B2A aflatoxin derivative is injected onto a reverse phase HPLC column. A flowing droplet of eluant is irradiated by an amplitude-modulated 325 nm He-Cd ion laser beam, and fluorescence from the droplet is detected by a lock-in amplifier in phase with the laser modulation. Several chromatograms are presented that demonstrate the capability of this procedure for removing interfering components in the corn extract.     

Boundary layer profiles in plasma chemical vapor deposition

A nonlinear optical spectroscopy based on degenerate four-wave mixing has made possible direct measurements of species temperature and concentration profiles through the boundary layer of a reactive plasma at atmospheric pressure. Spectra were obtained for CH and C(2) radicals over a range of conditions including those for the plasma chemical vapor deposition of diamond films. Numerical simulations based on a one-dimensional stagnation-point flow model are in good agreement with the measurements. The CH mole fraction is shown to rise and fall as a function of distance from the substrate, which is compelling experimental evidence for the complex chemistry that is occurring in the plasma boundary layer.     

Spatially resolved organic analysis of the allende meteorite

The distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) in the Allende meteorite has been probed with two-step laser desorption/laser multiphoton ionization mass spectrometry. This method allows direct in situ analysis with a spatial resolution of 1 square millimeter or better of selected organic molecules. Spectra from freshly fractured interior surfaces of the meteorite show that PAH concentrations are locally high compared to the average concentrations found by wet chemical analysis of pulverized samples. The data suggest that the PAHs are primarily associated with the fine-grained matrix, where the organic polymer occurs. In addition, highly substituted PAH skeletons were observed. Interiors of individual chondrules were devoid of PAHs at our detection limit(about 0.05 parts per million).     

Chemical transformations in individual ultrasmall biomimetic containers

Individual phospholipid vesicles, 1 to 5 micrometers in diameter, containing a single reagent or a complete reaction system, were immobilized with an infrared laser optical trap or by adhesion to modified borosilicate glass surfaces. Chemical transformations were initiated either by electroporation or by electrofusion, in each case through application of a short (10-microsecond), intense (20 to 50 kilovolts per centimeter) electric pulse delivered across ultramicroelectrodes. Product formation was monitored by far-field laser fluorescence microscopy. The ultrasmall characteristic of this reaction volume led to rapid diffusional mixing that permits the study of fast chemical kinetics. This technique is also well suited for the study of reaction dynamics of biological molecules within lipid-enclosed nanoenvironments that mimic cell membranes.     

Counting low-copy number proteins in a single cell

We have designed a microfluidic device in which we can manipulate, lyse, label, separate, and quantify the protein contents of a single cell using single-molecule fluorescence counting. Generic labeling of proteins is achieved through fluorescent-antibody binding. The use of cylindrical optics enables high-efficiency (approximately 60%) counting of molecules in micrometer-sized channels. We used this microfluidic device to quantify beta2 adrenergic receptors expressed in insect cells (SF9). We also analyzed phycobiliprotein contents in individual cyanobacterial cells (Synechococcus sp. PCC 7942) and observed marked differences in the levels of specific complexes in cell populations that were grown under nitrogen-depleted conditions.     

Comment on "Organics captured from comet 81P/Wild 2 by the Stardust spacecraft"

Sandford et al. (Reports, 15 December 2006, p. 1720) reported on organic compounds captured from Comet 81P/Wild 2 by the Stardust spacecraft. We emphasize the difficulty in assigning the origin of compounds detected diffusely along particle impact tracks and show that rapid heating of aerogel that has never been exposed to cometary particle capture can generate complex aromatic molecules from low-mass carbon impurities present in the aerogel.