Temperature and pH effect on the microbial reductive transformation of pentachloronitrobenzene

The effect of pH and temperature on the microbial reductive transformation of pentachloronitrobenzene (PCNB), an organochlorine fungicide, was investigated with a mixed fermentative/methanogenic culture developed from a contaminated estuarine sediment. Culture series were incubated at a temperature range from 4 to 45 degrees C at pH 6.9+/-0.1 and at a pH range from 2.7+/-0.1 to 7.6+/-0.1 at 22 degrees C. Significant differences were observed in terms of biotransformation rate, extent, and products as a function of temperature. Incubation at different pH values resulted in differences in biotransformation rate and extent, but not in terms of products formed. PCNB (3 microM) was transformed to pentachloroaniline (PCA) in all culture series. However, sequential dechlorination of PCA was observed only at a temperature range from 4 to 35 degrees C and at a pH range from 6.2+/-0.1 to 7.6+/-0.1. The highest PCA dechlorination rate was observed at 22 degrees C and at pH 7.6+/-0.1. The effect of temperature on the PCA dechlorination rate was modeled using an Arrhenius relationship, which accounts for both enzyme activation and deactivation. The dechlorination of PCA and chlorinated aniline intermediates was simulated using a branched-chain Michaelis-Menten model, and kinetic constants were determined.     

Contribution of microbial phytases to the improvement of plant growth and nutrition: A review

Phytases belong to the class of phosphohydrolases that begin the step-wise hydrolysis of phosphates from phytates. Phytates are a derivative of myo-inositol, which is the primary storage form of organic phosphorus in plant cells. Phytase has been used globally to diminish phosphorus pollution and to enhance nutrition in monogastrics. In this review, the classification, sources, and diversity of microbial phytases, and their practical applications, as well as supplementation of the soil with transgenic and wild types of microbial strains, which can release phytase to enhance phosphorus availability for plant uptake and reduce the need for fertilizers, are discussed. The overexpressed microbial phytases in transgenic plants enhance the growth capacity of co-cultivated plants and can therefore be employed in agricultural and biotechnological practices, such as intercropping. The introduction of phytases into the soil for improved plant growth and enhanced crop yield can be accomplished without extra cost. A diverse group of photoautotrophic microalgae can synthesize phytase and will likely be useful in many human food and animal industries.     

苯甲酸钠对土壤亚硝酸还原酶动力学参数的影响

采用改进的α-荼胺-对氨基苯磺酸比色法研究了苯甲酸钠对紫色土亚硝酸还原酶动力学参数的影响。结果表明,苯甲酸钠对灰棕紫泥土亚硝酸还原酶酶促反应的抑制能力随苯甲酸钠浓度的增大而增强,苯甲酸钠的加入,降低了V0、Km和Vmax值,表明苯甲酸钠对土壤亚硝酸还原酶的作用类型表现为反竞争性抑制作用;苯甲酸钠是一种优良的反硝化抑制剂,有良好的应用前景。     

PH对红壤微生物生物量碳和生物量磷的影响

The impact of pH changes on microbial biomass carbon (Cmic) and microbial biomass phosphorus (Pmic) were examined for 3 red soils under citrus production with different lengths of cultivation. Soil pH significantly affected Cmic and Pmic. The Cmie and Pmic changes, as a function of soil pH, appeared to follow a normal distribution with the original soil pH value at the apex and as pH increased or decreased compared to the original soil pH, Cmic and Pmic declined. Moreover, there were critical pH values at both extremes (3.0 on the acidic side and 8.0 to 8.5 on the alkaline side), beyond which most of microorganisms could never survive. The effect of pH on Cmic and Pmic was also related to the original soil pH. The higher the original soil pH was, the less Cmic or Pmic were affected by pH change. It is suggested that soil microorganisms that grow in a soil environment with a more neutral soil pH range (i.e. pH 5.5-7.5) may have a greater tolerance to pH changes than those growing in more acidic or more alkaline soil pH conditions.     

The effects of earthworm functional diversity on microbial biomass and the microbial community level physiological profile of soils

A novel experiment design based on the axial simplex design was used to study the effects of earthworm functional diversity on microbial biomass and microbial community level physiological profiles in soils. This mesocosm experiment was carried out at two densities of earthworm and at two levels of food supply. Soil mesocosms were maintained for 7 months and watered each week with 300 ml of distilled water. At the end of this period the soil columns were divided into upper and lower halves and microbial biomass carbon and functional diversity assessed. Greater microbial biomass and activity was found in the upper layer of soil. Food supply was the major driver leading to increased microbial activity and biomass. Increased earthworm biomass had the opposite effect. In the lower soil layer, the presence of anecic worms had the greatest effect on microbial biomass and activity. This effect was enhanced with increased food supply. Overall, the relationship between earthworm functional diversity and microbial community level physiological profile appeared to be idiosyncratic and the effect of the earthworms varied with soil layer, initial biomass and food supply. The loss of any earthworm functional group might lead to significant alterations in the microbial biomass, distribution and physiological profile.     

Effect of some viticultural parameters on the grape carotenoid profile

The effect of some viticultural parameters on the grape carotenoid profile was investigated. Grape cultivar, ripeness stage, sunlight and shade exposure, altitude, and vegetative height were studied. Differences between cultivars were observed in eight different black grape varieties: Touriga Brasileira (TBR), Tinta Barroca (TB), Tinta Amarela (TA), Souz?o (S), Touriga Franca (TF), Touriga Nacional (TN), Tinta Roriz (TR), and Tinto C?o (TC), from the Douro region. TA and TBR clearly produced higher concentrations of carotenoids. Results showed that carotenoid content decreased during ripening. Decreases of lutein were observed until 66%, whereas beta-carotene slowly decreased, having a constant level until the harvest date. Carotenoid contents were consistently higher in grapes exposed to shade than in those exposed to direct sunlight in both studied white grape varieties, Maria Gomes (MG) and Loureiro (L). In the Douro Valley, high-elevation terraces, which presented a lower temperature and higher humidity during the maturation period, appeared to produce grapes with higher carotenoid values. Grapes grown with higher vegetative height seem to have higher carotenoid levels; furthermore, grapes grown with lower vegetative height had higher weight and sugar concentrations.     

Effect of microbial decomposition of mature leaves on soil pH

The hypothesis that the microbial decomposition of organic matter low in organic nitrogen leads to an increase in soil pH was tested and confirmed in a pot experiment with two different soils into which mature cherry leaves were incorporated.     

Selected kinetic parameters of soil microbial respiration in the A horizon of differently managed mountain forests and meadows of Moravian-Silesian Beskids Mts.

The aim of this study was to find out the effect of intensity of thinning (FD-dense stand = 2044 trees/ha; FS-open stand = 1652 trees/ha) performed in young forest stands (99% spruce, 1% fir) in Moravian-Silesian Beskids Mts. (908 m a.s.l.; 49°30′10″ N, 18°32′20″ E) on V _DS (C mineralization rate immediately after drying and re-wetting of soil), V _BR (basal soil respiration at 60% w/w soil water content measured 5th day after rewetting of dry soil), V _MAX (maximum respiration rate after glucose addition measured from 6th day after rewetting of dry soil), V _DS/V _MAX (heterotrophic respiratory potential) and AC_DS/AC_BR (the potential flush of biologically available C) in Ae horizon of Haplic and Entic Podzols. The AC_DS/AC_BR was calculated from three 24-hour respirations of 7-day incubation according to the equation AC_DS/AC_BR=V _DS V _MAX/(2V _BR(V _MAX−V _DS)). The aim of the work was also to find the effect of circa 11-year abandonment of a mountain meadow in the locality (825–860 m a.s.l.; 49°30′17″ N, 18°32′28″ E) on the same parameters in Ah horizon of Gleyic Luvisol. The studied parameters were measured in the course of the vegetation season 2004 (May–September) at 30-day intervals. The higher intensity of thinning caused alternately higher or lower or very similar values of V _DS, V _BR, V _MAX, V _DS/V _MAX and AC_DS/AC_BR in the course of the season. The abandonment of the meadow increased V _DS, V _BR, V _MAX throughout the whole experiment. V _DS/V _MAX increased due to the abandonment except for the last sampling in September. Alternately higher or lower or very similar values of AC_DS/AC_BR in course of the season appeared on abandoned or moderately mown meadows. The lower intensity of thinning or abandonment of the meadow were connected with increasing number of significant (P < 0.05) correlations between the studied properties. Published in Russian in Pochvovedenie, 2009, No. 3, pp. 346–354. The text was submitted by the authors in English.     

七种钾释放动力学方程的比较和动力学参数的应用

Batch equilibrium experiments were conducted to investigate cadmium （Cd） sorption by two permanent-charge soils, a yellow-cinnamon soil and a yellow-brown soil, and two variable-charge soils, a red soil and a latosol, with addition of selected organic acids （acetate, tartrate, and citrate）. Results showed that with an increase in acetate concentrations from 0 to 3.0 mmol L^-1, Cd sorption percentage by the yellow-cinnamon soil, the yellow-brown soil, and the latosol decreased. The sorption percentage of Cd by the yellow-clnnamon soil and generally the yellow-brown soil （permanent-charge soils） decreased with an increase in tartrate concentration, but increased at low tartrate concentrations for the red soil and the latosol. Curves of percentage of Cd sorption for citrate were similar to those for tartrate. For the variable-charge soils with tartrate and citrate, there were obvious peaks in Cd sorption percentage. These peaks, where organic acids had maximum influence, changed with soil type, and were at a higher organic acid concentration for the variable-charge soils than for the permanent charge soils. Addition of cadmium after tartrate adsorption resulted in higher sorption increase for the varlable-charge soils than permanent-charge soils. When tartrate and Cd solution were added together, sorption of Cd decreased with tartrate concentration for the yellow-brown soil, but increased at low tartrate concentrations and then decreased with tartrate concentration for the red soil and the latosol.     

Estimating the active and total soil microbial biomass by kinetic respiration analysis

 A model describing the respiration curves of glucose-amended soils was applied to the characterization of microbial biomass. Both lag and exponential growth phases were simulated. Fitted parameters were used for the determination of the growing and sustaining fractions of the microbial biomass as well as its specific growth rate (μ _max). These microbial biomass characteristics were measured periodically in a loamy silt and a sandy loam soil incubated under laboratory conditions. Less than 1% of the biomass oxidizing glucose was able to grow immediately due to the chronic starvation of the microbial populations in situ. Glucose applied at a rate of 0.5 mg C g^–1 increased that portion to 4–10%. Both soils showed similar dynamics with a peak in the growing biomass at day 3 after initial glucose amendment, while the total (sustaining plus growing) biomass was maximum at day 7. The microorganisms in the loamy silt soil showed a larger growth potential, with the growing biomass increasing 16-fold after glucose application compared to a sevenfold increase in the sandy loam soil. The results gained by the applied kinetic approach were compared to those obtained by the substrate-induced respiration (SIR) technique for soil microbial biomass estimation, and with results from a simple exponential model used to describe the growth response. SIR proved to be only suitable for soils that contain a sustaining microbial biomass and no growing microbial biomass. The exponential model was unsuitable for situations where a growing microbial biomass was associated with a sustaining biomass. The kinetic model tested in this study (Panikov and Sizova 1996) proved to describe all situations in a meaningful, quantitative and statistically reliable way. Received: 19 July 1999     

Effect of pH on the solubilization of brewers' spent grain by microbial carbohydrases and proteases

The potential for enzymatic solubilization of brewers' spent grain by carbohydrases and proteases was examined over a broad pH range (pH 3.2-11.2). Enzymes from Trichoderma (Depol 686) were most efficient at a lower pH, while enzymes from the Humicola preparation (Depol 740) were the best performer over the whole range. Profiling of key glycoside hydrolase, esterase and protease activities across the pH range demonstrated that solubilization of spent grain by the Trichoderma enzymes corresponded to the range of maximum activities. This was not the case with the Humicola enzymes, where maximum solubilization of the substrate occurred at pH 9.1, at which pH the determined activities were low. Protease activity in Depol 740 was associated with a high solubilization, but inhibition of proteolytic activity resulted in only a 5% decrease in spent grain solubilization. These results suggest that while enzymes can be used to exploit agro-industrials byproduct, the use of high pH increases the extent of hydrolysis and an unidentified factor produced by Humicola improves the enzyme-catalyzed solubilization of lignocellulosic material.     

堆肥化过程中微生物群落的动态及接菌剂的应用效果

堆肥化过程中不同微生物群落的动态变化及微生物群体特征的研究是非常重要的。在堆肥化过程中各种微生物在数量上遵循高－低－高的变化规律。各种微生物耐热性决定其数量；一般细菌数量最多，尤其在高温期占绝对优势；放线菌和真菌在高温前和高温过后才繁殖较多。各种菌对不同物质成分的分解作用还没有统一的定论。至于微生物制剂的接种效果一直争论不休，肯定的意见和否定的意见都有大量的证据和理由。但应该指出只有数量足够的有益微生物群体和适合它们的条件都具备时堆肥化才能快速进行，创建有益分解微生物群体和创造适合这些微生物群体的条件是不可分割的配套措施。     

Chemical effects of pH 3 sulphuric acid on a soil profile

Cores of podzolic soil (monolith lysimeters) were treated for 4.8 yr with 1500 mm yr^?1 of either 0.5 mM H₂SO₄ at pH 3, equivalent to 24 g S m^?2 yr^?1 (acid treated) or distilled water (controls). The acid treatment was about 37 times greater than the average annual input of H₃O⁺ from rain at the site from which the monoliths were taken. Acid treatment acidified the litter (from pH(CaCl₂)3.4 to pH(CaCl₂)2.6) and the mineral soil to a depth of 80 cm (mean pH(CaCl₂) decrease of 0.2 unit). In the litter and upper A horizon, ion-exchange reactions provided the main neutralizing mechanism, resulting in a decrease in the reserves of extractable (in 2.5 % acetic acid) Ca, Mg, and Mn of about 70 to 80 %. Dissolution of solid phase Al from hydrous oxides provided most neutralization below this depth. Al3⁺ was the principal soluble Al species throughout the profile. In the litter and upper A horizon, some of the mobilized Al³⁺ was retained on cation exchange sites resulting in an increase in exchangeable Al. Deeper in the profile, where the exchange sites were effectively saturated with Al³⁺, no increase in exchangeable Al occurred, and Al³⁺ was, therefore, available for leaching. Some reversible adsorption of SO₄ ^2?, associated with hydrous Al oxides, occurred in the Bs and C horizons. The results are discussed in relation to possible effects of acid deposition over regions of Europe and N. America.     

Microenvironment and microbial community in the rhizosphere of dioecious Populus cathayana at Chaka Salt Lake

Journal of Soils and Sediments - Sex effects may cause significant changes in rhizosphere microbial community composition and soil properties. Although dioecious plants are widespread, little is...     

Electrochemical investigation of the effect of pH and solvent on amitraz stability

The widespread use of the pesticide amitraz for pest control of crops, livestock and honeybees has warranted several studies aimed at understanding the degradation of this compound during storage and use. In particular the degradation of amitraz and the nature of the toxicologically significant intermediates formed owing to pH and solvent type has been examined. In this study we report on the use of electrochemical methods to monitor amitraz degradation and to identify the major intermediates formed. While this study examines the use of rapid voltammetric methods for such analyses, it also resolves earlier studies showing the rapid degradation of amitraz to 2,4-dimethylaniline without formation of intermediates first, and also suggests that the degradation of amitraz to 2,4-dimethylphenylformamide and to 2,4-dimethylaniline is more rapid than previously observed at pH above 3. These studies also showed that amitraz degrades to dimethylphenylformamide in ethanol and methanol, and is stable in both acetonitrile and dimethylsulphoxide.     

磺胺嘧啶对土壤氮矿化及相关微生物参数的影响

兽用抗生素进入土壤,已经带来了新的土壤污染生态学问题,并已引起广泛关注。本文研究了不同浓度磺胺嘧啶残留对土壤氮矿化量及相关微生物参数的影响。结果表明,磺胺嘧啶对土壤氮矿化产生抑制作用,且抑制作用在低浓度比高浓度更为敏感。通过主成分分析和多元回归分析可知,在各相关微生物参数中,土壤微生物群落功能多样性可作为预测磺胺嘧啶残留时土壤氮矿化强度变化的指标。     

The effect of pH and calcium on fish and fisheries

The combined effect of Ca and pH on fish and fisheries is considered for both laboratory and field studies. It can be seen that at concentrations less than 100 μeq l^?1, Ca can exert a significant influence on survival times of fish, and similarly in the field, the number of fishless lakes and the number of fish species found in lakes are less dependent on H⁺ concentration at low concentrations of Ca than at high Ca levels. The limited historical field data available suggest that alongside any increase there may have been in surface water acidity, Ca concentrations have also increased, and the latter may have offset to some extent the deleterious biological effects of this increased acidity. Nevertheless, details of seasonal and spatial variations in these important water quality factors will need to be considered before a full understanding of the response to acidity of a fishery can be reached.     

调节茶园土壤pH对其土著微生物区系及生理群的影响

茶园酸性土壤按其重量1.4%的比例施用石灰,能使土壤pH值从4.1提高到6.88;土壤中细菌和放线菌数量能提高近百倍,适于酸性环境的真菌数量略低于不施用石灰的对照组;酸性土壤经pH调节后,土壤pH值在前45天呈缓慢下降趋势,随后有所升高;细菌各类生理群数量在pH调节后前期呈快速上升变化,经过20～30天稳定期后,开始下降;调节茶园酸性土壤的pH是提高茶园土壤土著微生物数量和活性的最好方法。     

Effect of tillage and N fertilization on microbial physiological profile of soils cultivated with wheat

Microbial diversity might be a good indicator of ecosystem disturbance and functioning. We determined the effect of soil disturbances, such as N fertilization and tillage management, on soil microbial communities in a Typic Argiudoll of the El Salado river basin (Argentina). Microbial activity and substrate utilization provided a metabolic fingerprint of the soil microbial community. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to differentiate responses to N fertilization and tillage at each of three growth stages of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Tillage had an adverse effect on microbial diversity, in which reduced and conventional tillage treated soils had different populations. However, N fertilization also altered microbial diversity depending on the crop developmental stage considered. Metabolism of carboxylic acids and carbohydrates were the main indicators of functional microbial activity and diversity. Although the substrate consumption profile of 32 C substrates did not provide insights into the fundamental ecological interactions that may induce changes in microbial population, it allowed us to demonstrate the alterations of microbial diversity as a result of tillage. We conclude that tillage and N fertilization altered microbial diversity.     

The effect of electrokinetics on soil microbial communities

There is growing interest in the potential of applying an electric field to soil to move and stimulate the degradation of contaminants, but we know little of the impact of this approach on exposed microbial communities. The effect of electrokinetics (3.14 A m⁻²) on soil bacterial and fungal communities was studied using soil cartridge microcosms (13 cm×5.4 cm×5.9 cm). After 27 days of electrokinetics, a zone of low pH (<4) was detected close to the anode. Soil exposed to electrokinetics and immediately adjacent to the anode demonstrated an increase in carbon substrate utilisation potential (≤290%) and microbial respiration rates. The diversity and structure of the bacterial community showed little response to electrokinetics, with the exception of soil close to the anode. Here, an increase in the percentage of Gram-positive species isolated was identified, most notably of Bacillus megaterium. Overall, the only detectable response of the microbial community was observed in soil immediately adjacent to the anode. The results of this study provide evidence that the application of electrokinetics has no serious negative effect on ‘soil microbial health’, thus endorsing its validity as a viable soil remediation technology.